Aiming For A Kalos Victory
by LZWriter
Summary: Rewrite of The Kalos Trip, follow Ash and friends as they travel the Kalos Region. On their journey, they will encounter events and life changing lessons that will test their bonds like never before. Amourshipping as well as plenty of other shippings will be present.
1. Pokemon Trainer Ash

**Hey there everyone. I bet many of you were probably wondering if I'll ever be back huh. Well I do have to apologize for such a long absence. I can't really explain the long absence other than I lost my motivation to write. Thankfully though, it's back and stronger than ever. Anyway, all I'll say is this is a rewrite of The Kalos Trip. I'll explain at the end of the chapter as to why I decided to rewrite this story. Anyway, glad to be back and I hope you all enjoy this rewrite.**

* * *

 **Pokemon Trainer Ash**

Standing in the spare bedroom of the Ketchum residence, a Kalos reporter known as Alexa was currently discussing her plans for the immediate future. "I'm heading back to the Kalos Region pretty soon. You should join me" she informed her younger traveling companion.

Standing not too far from the reporter, Ash and Pikachu were deep in thought about going on another adventure. It has only been a week since they parted ways with Iris and Cilan but it was clear the two miss their friends dearly. However, Ash wasn't the kind of person to sit around in the same spot for too long. "Are you up for another adventure buddy?" the trainer asks his friend.

Pikachu let out sparks showing his enthusiasm for a new journey. After being with his trainer since the beginning, Pikachu has learned one thing. There is never a dull moment when traveling with Ash. His trainer, for some odd reason, always seems to attract memorable experiences.

Receiving the green light from his friend, the trainer nods to Alexa confirming he is with her. The thought of traveling to another region was beginning to make him a bit restless. However as much as the teen looked forward to another journey, he would first have to let his mother know. Unfortunately, he knew his mom was quite happy with him being home for longer than usual. "Well if it's another journey we're going on, I'll drop by Professor Oak's one more time to say goodbye to all my Pokémon." With that, the trainer and Pikachu vanished as if almost into thin air.

Alexa simply chuckled. There was something about the trainer that made people want to be around him. Perhaps it was the town itself. Since she has been here, everyone has treated her with warm and welcoming smiles. It's clear this has helped shape Ash to who he is. However, there is another person who has contributed greatly, Delia.

* * *

Meanwhile, Delia was busy admiring her work. Seeing all the Pokémon Alexa had with her, there was no doubt Ash would want to travel to whatever region she came from. "Well Mr. Mime, I hope Ash likes his new clothes" she set aside the finished garment. She figured it wouldn't be long before Ash announces his plans to travel. Delia was just happy to finish making him new clothes before that happened.

Walking around, Alexa couldn't help but admire the charm the small house gave off. There was one picture however that caught Alexa's attention. In it, she could easily recognize Ash and Delia. There was a third person in it however. The man appeared to be Ash's father. The resemblance was certainly there.

"Oh, I see you're admiring an old family picture" Delia startles Alexa.

In her dazed state, Alexa manages to ask about the man. "That's Red, Ash's father and my husband" Delia replies with much glee. Whoever he was, he certainly captured her heart very well.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say he's just a taller Ash" the Kalos native commented. Although she wanted to press on with further questions, she figured this isn't a subject she should get into. "By the way, I would like to thank you again for letting me stay here. It's a really nice place and Pallet Town is wonderful too" she complimented.

"And thank you for having Ash come visit me first" Delia returned the favor. Judging by Alexa's expressions, she knew she would have to do some explaining. "I'm Ash's mother, I know how reckless he can be" she let out a knowing smile. With that, the two women were left laughing.

* * *

Approaching the famous Oak Ranch, Ash fails to read any warning signs about the fence. "OUCH" he lets, being caught off guard by the small jolt of electricity. "Geez, you think Professor Oak would warn anyone about this" Ash sighed.

Pikachu let out a small laughter. He was standing on the sign his clueless trainer somehow missed. "Pi Pika" the electric type point at while taunting his trainer.

"Oh yeah, let's see you try it" Ash hastily responded.

Pikachu gladly walked on the electrified fence as if it was a tight rope, once again taunting his trainer. The electrical shocks from the fence felt like a tickling sensation to him.

"Looks like this fence is doing its job of keeping trespassers out" Misty also taunted her friend by motioning how she stood on the other side.

Ash's mood quickly lightened seeing an old friend. "Hey Misty, it's been a while" he mentioned. Sadly however, he couldn't properly greet his friend as there was an electric fence in the way.

"Geez Ash, Professor Oak has a front door" the orange haired teen was slightly annoyed by Ash's impatience. "I'll meet you at the front with everyone else" she raced towards the lab.

Once at the lab, Ash was surprised to find Tracey there, along with Professor Oak and Misty. "Ah, Ashy my boy, we were all here waiting for you" Professor Oak states. It was obvious from the looks of it that Ash was about to depart on a new adventure and the professor couldn't have asked for a much better timing.

"Well this is certainly a surprise" the teen mentions. He had not been expecting some of his oldest friends waiting for him in the lab. "By the way, where's Brock?" Ash was searching around hoping to find his other friend as well.

"Last I heard from him, he was traveling in the Johto Region with a green haired person" Misty replied. She couldn't remember his name for some strange reason. The sad part was she had talked to him only a few days prior.

Understanding his busy schedule was keeping Brock busy, Ash motioned for Professor Oak to continue. "Ah yes, you may have or haven't heard, but I'm currently assisting Professor Sycamore in the Kalos region with his Pokémon research" he began to explain. "What I'm responsible for is to create a database of all the Pokémon native to the Kanto Region with all of their vital stats and send it over to him in the Kalos Region" he continued. "Hopefully with this information, he can come closer to figuring out why some Pokémon can Mega-Evolve and why some can't" he finished with his explanation.

This was convenient, considering how he was planning to go to the Kalos Region soon anyway. "So do you want me to take this information to the Kalos Region?" Ash asked, wondering if that is why the professor was waiting for him.

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to delay your trip for me. That's what Misty is here for" the professor informed the trainer.

Before Professor Oak couldn't continue, Ash began to speak up once again. "Actually, I was planning on going to the Kalos Region soon anyway, so it's no problem with me" he declared.

The news of Ash's next destination didn't sit too well with Professor Oak. He had a rather worried expression as millions of thoughts were running through his mind, namely Ash's safety. The last thing he would want is for Ash to run into him. Shaking those thoughts away, he figured it was best to let him know why he was waiting on the trainer. "It could take a while before I finish" he responded to Ash. "But Professor Sycamore did send these over" the older man grabbed a small chest. Opening it, there rested two stones. One was smaller than the other.

"You want to play marbles?" Ash questioned.

Quickly, everyone, including Pikachu, let out a sigh of annoyance. Although Ash was a skilled trainer, he was still a rather dense person. "Oh look, if it isn't Ashy boy" Gary greeted with a smirk. "I see someone that's in the need of a Pokémon battle" he casually mentioned.

It's been a while since he last saw his rival since childhood. "You're on Gary, just as soon as I'm done with Professor Oak, let's have a battle" he was fired up. As the years went by, Gary's attitude towards Ash has been that of a friendly rival. In the beginning however, things weren't so smooth between them.

Seeing his grandson already in the lab, that at least saved him the trouble of waiting for him to arrive. "Actually Ash, why don't you go ahead and battle Gary" the professor insisted. "If you give this stone to Charizard and keep this one, you should be able to perform a Mega-Evolution" he briefly explained.

"You mean" Ash began to ask.

Professor Oak quickly responded. "Professor Sycamore sent these over in hopes that I knew someone who was close to a Charizard" he explained. "He did have an assistant but from what I remember, it seems his assistant no longer works with him" Professor Oak tried to remember. Shaking that thought away, he figured Ash would be the best candidate, seeing as how he recently traveled with Charizard in the Unova Region.

Grabbing the Mega-Stone, Ash heads outside along with everyone else. "So how does this work?" Ash began observing the foreign orb. This is the first time he has heard of Mega-Evolution, much less performed one.

"It's simple Ashy Boy" Gary held a Pokéball. "You keep the small orb to yourself" he held his stone in his hand. "And you give the other to your Pokémon" he let out Blastoise as he continued to explain.

Sure enough, Charizard showed up on cue. Many of Ash's Pokémon also came to watch their trainer battle. It's been a while since they have seen him in action. They're curious to know how far along their trainer has come since they last saw him.

"Are you ready to battle buddy?" Ash asks Charizard while holding up a blue orb up to the fire type.

The Flame Pokémon gives his trainer a rather curious look. He wasn't sure why Ash wanted him to hold the strange crystal. From the looks of it, neither did he. However looking to their opponent, it was clear this wasn't going to be an easy battle. He would often times remember Blastoise's arrogant smile. This one however was one of confidence. Taking the stone from his trainer, Charizard turns to his fellow Pokémon.

"This battle will be a one on one between Ash and Gary. The first one unable to battle, looses" Tracey quickly explained the rules, implying that he would referee the battle.

"I'll let you have the first move Gary" Ash kindly offered.

"You'll be regretting that" Gary taunted in a friendly manner.

"Battle Begin" Tracey let out.

"Let's start things off easy, Hydro Pump" Oak's grandson issued the first attack.

Fortunately, Ash wasn't the least bit worried. "Slash it away" he reacted.

Extending his claws, Charizard split the double streams of water into halves. The water harmlessly passed by him.

"No surprises there, now go in with Skull Bash" Gary followed up. He knew Charizard could easily close the gap between them, so he decided he would rather close it himself.

"Dragon Tail"

Timing the attack, Charizard hit the speeding shell into the ground. He trusted his trainer would have a command ready. "Use Flamethrower" he heard his trainer say. On cue, the fire type let out his attack on the vulnerable water type. However, even he knew his opponent could easily withstand the attack.

"Now use Rapid Spin" Blastoise heard his trainer say. Still in his shell, he spun rapidly, aiming at Charizard. He was simply waiting for a certain attack.

"Swat it away with Dragon Tail" Ash responded.

Sure enough, Gary had expected such a move. "Classic Ash, you're too predictable" he smiled to himself. He had no need to give instructions to his Pokémon as he had somehow managed to ready his mind. "Are you ready for this?" Gary asked his partner while holding up his key stone.

The water type nodded in confirmation.

"Well Ash, I can see that you have indeed grown quite strong" Gary began to compliment. "However, let's see how you can handle Mega-Evolutions" he began the process. Rays of light came from both Gary's and Blastoise's stones. They connected, enveloping the water type in a blinding light.

Professor Oak has seen a Mega-Evolution in person just once. This was certainly a treat for him, considering how he would once again witness the strength of the bond between trainer and Pokémon.

Misty and Tracey stood in awe. This was the first time they have ever seen such a transformation. Although the professor had explained this to them in great detail, seeing it in person was a sight to behold.

Emerging from the light, everyone saw a rather strange looking Blastoise. "Ash, allow us to show you the power of Mega-Evolution" Gary said. "Use Dragon Pulse" he issued his command.

Unaware that Blastoise could learn Dragon Pulse, Ash quickly thought of a way to counter such an attack.

"Hold it off with Flamethrower" the teen ordered. Little did he know, Gary's Pokémon had gained a considerable power boost.

"Raaaa" Charizard cried out, unable to hold off the attack.

"Charizard, are you okay" Ash quickly ran to his partner Pokémon.

The fire type nodded. He had not expected the attack to have that much force behind it.

Carefully watching the interactions between Ash and his Pokémon, it was clear that the two had the necessary bond to perform a Mega-Evolution. "Although this does give my Pokémon a significant power boost, it is only temporary" Gary explained in a calm manner. "So, you think you're ready to try it yourself?" he asked his rival, knowing what his answer would be.

Whenever Ash battles a stronger opponent, so does his motivation for coming out on top.

Sensing his trainer's spirit, Charizard was just warming up. Standing up, he let out a deafening roar. He was ready to take on his foe with everything he had.

"Now it's our turn" Ash held up his key stone.

Just like Gary, the two stones began letting out rays of light. They connected and soon enough, Charizard was enveloped in a blinding light.

Professor Oak, along with Tracey and Misty, watch as Ash has managed to pull off a Mega-Evolution. If they remember the requirements to be successful with the evolution, there was no doubt Ash had them. The first was the most obvious, the key stone and mega stone. Mostly importantly however is a strong bond. Ash and Charizard have had a bumpy relationship, but always emerged stronger after every hardship they faced. This moment was simply those feelings becoming a physical transformation.

"Raaaaarr" Charizard let out, emerging from the light in an unusual color.

Surprised by how much the fire type changed, Ash took a moment to think about what just happened.

Watching the trainer take in the moment, Gary sighed in relief. Although he never doubted Ash's abilities, he was afraid Ash wouldn't be able to Mega-Evolve. Thankfully that wasn't the case. Unfortunately, he knew he was no match for his fellow rival. He would have to end the battle quick. "Looks like the great Ash has finally caught up to me, interesting" Gary taunted once more.

Still surprised by the Pokémon standing before him, Ash wanted to test out the power of his Pokémon's new-found strength. "Well I hope you're ready for this" the teen responded. "Use Flamethrower" he let out.

The blue Charizard let out an intense stream of blue fire. Unlike the previous Flamethrower, the power of this one was almost visible. Even Ash's other Pokémon took notice of their new-found strength. One in particular took notice. Sceptile could only imagine how much stronger Charizard was than he was. The fire type managed to beat a legend such as Articuno in his regular form, imagine how that battle would turn out now.

Trading attack for attack, Ash was beginning to get a bigger picture of the power his Pokémon had at his disposal. Although he wanted to continue battling, he realized Gary's true motives for battling long ago.

Sensing his trainer's intentions, Charizard also stood up, signaling to Blastoise the battle was over.

The two Mega-Evolved Pokémon return to their normal forms. "So what do you know, this is temporary" Ash noted.

Meanwhile, Gary stood by, appreciating Ash's kind gesture. "Well I hope this was enough to teach you about Mega-Evolutions" Oak's assistant stated seeing Ash nod, acknowledging what he said.

While watching the two interact, it was clear they had both moved past their ugly and bitter rivalry to a friendly one where the two have an immense amount of respect towards each other. More than anything else, it was obvious how much Ash has matured in his travels. Sure he was still his childish Ash self, but he also showed another mature side while retaining his childish charm.

"So are you going to make your move on him" Tracey playfully nudged the orange haired water trainer.

Although Misty did have a crush on her fellow traveling companion a while back, she had to admit, she saw him as nothing more than a great friend now. She knew she would be unable to get his mind off Pokémon long enough for him to notice her. Either way, she had since moved on long ago. "You and I both know I don't see Ash like that anymore" Misty happily responded as she made her way toward them.

"Professor Sycamore has authorized me to give these stones to any trainer I see fit" Professor Oak explained, allowing Ash to keep the stones.

Quickly thinking, "Are you up for another adventure?" Ash asked Charizard. There was no doubt in his mind that the fire type would love to accompany him on another journey. This time however, they had a new power to master.

"Raa" he gave a thumbs up.

Overlooking the trainer along with his friends, Team Rocket cautiously listen in on their conversation, from the comfort of the roof of Oak's Lab. "Looks like we have a new destination, the Kalos Region" Jessie stated. Their goal was to capture Pikachu, but after witnessing Charizard grow in power, they also had another target as well.

"Yeah, dose twerps are in for a big surprise" Meowth began thinking up of multiple plans. A new destination meant they would have to adopt new ideas to adapt.

James on the other hand was a tad bittersweet. While he wanted to chase Pikachu and that mega Charizard, he was afraid of running into familiar people. Shaking those thoughts away, he shared in his partners joy. "Let's go get them" he happily stated.

"Wwooobbufettt" a blue Pokémon loudly let himself out of his trainer's Pokéball.

"Ssshh" Jessie recalled her Pokémon. Having all the information they needed, they quickly left from the roof of Oak's lab and began their preparations for the journey ahead.

Chatting to one another, they all failed to notice how fast the time was going by. "How about some dinner" Delia made her presence be known. Along with her was Mr. Mime and Alexa. They figured a leisurely stroll to the lab would be a great way to relax.

Seeing as how Ash was planning on leaving soon, they all figured now would be a wonderful time to enjoy dinner with each other.

* * *

At the Ketchum household, it's been a while since the house since they have had a lot of guest at one time, let alone Ash. Despite the small size, everyone was more than comfortable being rather close to one another, quite literally. Had Ash's childish nature not acted up, he could've prevented himself from spilling a cup full of water onto the Misty. Other than that small incident, dinner went without a problem.

Sure enough, the topic of when Ash was planning on traveling came up. "To be honest mom, I'm planning on heading to the Kalos Region next when Alexa leaves" Ash made his intentions known. He would be joined by Pikachu as usual and for a change, Charizard.

"That's my Ash, I shouldn't expect anything less from you" Delia let out a sad smile while walking away from the kitchen.

Quickly, Ash was beginning to question if it was too soon to begin traveling again. After all, he has only been home for a week. Judging by everyone else's expressions, this was to be expected. Seeing Delia back in the kitchen with her head lowered, Ash began to apologize. "Tada" she held up a new shirt and cap that would fit Ash, surprising everyone.

"Wait, you knew this whole time" Ash was awestruck. His mom sure knew how to surprise him every time.

"Of course I knew sweetie, I'm your mom" the older Ketchum removed his old cap and replaced it with a new one. "I would never hold you back from your dreams" she stated.

In a quick moment, the two exchanged hugs. Ash felt lucky to have a mother like he does and Delia felt the same as Ash. "One more thing Ash, can you deliver this small package to a friend of mine in Vaniville Town?" she asked, hoping it wouldn't be an inconvenience for the trainer.

Ash took the small brown box. "Of course I will" he replied.

Without knowing, Ash took a box that would lead him to encounter an old friend from his past. At least that's what Delia was hoping for. That and she needed to return what belonged to her friend.

As nighttime came, Alexa stayed in the guest bed room she has been staying in while in Pallet Town. Tracey headed back to the lab while Professor Oak stayed behind to discuss potential problems with Ash in the Kalos Region. "You seem rather calm about Ash going to the Kalos Region" Professor Oak noted. "You do realize his father was last known to be there right?" he asked, hoping to somehow convince Delia to warn Ash.

"Ash isn't a child anymore. Sure, I wish he wouldn't go, but I'm confident he can handle anything" she proudly stated. Still though, it was her desire for Ash to avoid his father Red, who was last known to be where Ash is going to next. The mother wishes she could warn her son about potential encounters, but even she knew it would be pointless to convince him otherwise.

While Delia and Oak were discussing potential problems with Ash's upcoming trip, Misty decided to spend the night, see as how Cerulean City was somewhat a long walk away. Lucky for her, that had an inflatable mattress so she could avoid sleeping on the ground. "Hey Ash, can I talk to you for a moment?" she seemed rather serious.

"What's up Misty?" the teen in question wondered why his friend had a serious tone.

Getting his attention, Misty would have to word this correctly. She did not want her friend getting any wrong ideas. "I've heard about how out of control your journey can get at times. Can you promise me you won't do anything too reckless while you're in the Kalos Region" she worried about her friend. Misty couldn't shake off the feeling something unexpected was waiting for Ash. If it wasn't for Professor Oak's worried expression earlier in the day, she wouldn't have suspected a thing.

The Kanto teen himself couldn't say everything was one hundred percent okay. Even he himself had a feeling that something big was being hidden from him. Unfortunately, there would be no way of knowing until he gets there. Ash leans over the side of his bed to talk to the orange haired teen. "No need to worry, I promise we'll be back in one piece" he made a promise to his friend.

Seeing the trainer only mere inches away from her, she blushed slightly considering they were nearly face to face. Of course Ash was too dense to realize any of this. "I'm holding you to the promise" she playfully flicked his forehead.

"What was that for?" the teen questioned. One moment she was worried about his safety, the next she was testing it.

"Do I need to say more" she began. "If you leaned over just a little bit more, we would be sharing a bed" she teased the trainer. But now that she thought about it, why did she agree to share a room with Ash.

"Whatever, you're the one who wanted to sleep in here" Ash responded in a matter of fact manner. Soon enough, the two fell asleep.

* * *

A bright and early day was always a fresh start. Unfortunately for Misty, the morning wasn't too bright. She wanted to see her friend off, along with Professor Oak and Delia so she had to get up early just to make sure her friend didn't sleep in for his flight.

"Please get him safely to the Kalos Region" Delia asked Alexa.

"Leave everything to me" she reassured her friend.

"And Ash, please don't forget to take that package to Vaniville Town. My friend already knows you're going to the Kalos Region so she knows you're coming" Delia informed her son. Taking a glance at Ash, she admired how much he has grown in the time he has been traveling. "Nice clothes by the way" she commented.

Ash let out a simple laugh. Despite his mom making his clothes, she acted as if Ash had picked them out himself. Pushing that aside, it was time for him to say goodbye. "Well mom, I'll see you later" Ash went up to hug his mom.

Rather surprised by his son's sudden affection, Delia return the warm embrace. He usually leaves with a simple goodbye and runs off.

Letting go, Ash turns towards his orange haired friend. "And I haven't forgotten about our promise" he walks in for a hug as well.

Stunning everyone once again, Ash was much more affectionate than usual. Has something happened in the brief time he has been home? "I'll be seeing you in the Kalos Region too" she reminded him about her task for Professor Oak.

Letting her friend go, Misty let out a cheeky smile. Had this been a few years ago, her crush on the teen would've misread this simple interaction. Thankfully she was past this. Even more, she was grateful Ash kept her promise as one of his top priorities.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were going there too" he let out an embarrassed laugh. "Let's go buddy, our new adventure is just over there" Ash and Pikachu run off towards the plane. "See you later everyone."

"There's the Ash we all have come to know and love" Delia watches her son run off.

* * *

 **It's true, this is a rewrite. One of the biggest reasons I lost motivation for writing was because the last story was a mess. I had so many plot lines trying to connect at once, that I had forgotten what goes where and with who. I simply didn't want to dig in through the pile of a mess I made and gave up.**

 **Another reason I gave up on The Kalos Trip is too much reader input. I tried to satisfy every reader to the point where it led me to creating a huge mess. Add to the fact that I changed a few names halfway through, added too many OCs, and gave the crew too many Pokemon, a mess was bound to happen. I do apologize for letting things get out of hand.**

 **Anyway, enough with apologies from me. I'm here to start fresh and write this story as I intended to write it. It is a rewrite as well so a lot of the story will follow the same plot. There will be lots of changes however. For one, the chapters will be much shorter than the last time. I've come to realize the readers know much more than I assumed, which led to the rather long chapters. With this change, I can write these chapters much faster and hopefully catch up to where The Kalos Trip left off soon.  
**

 **Anyway, I hope to get another chance from the readers. It feels good to write once again and finally fulfill the promise to finish this story. Once again, thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from everyone.**


	2. Enter Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie

**I have to say, because a lot of the writing for these chapters is done, I can finish them rather quickly. I guess that's the benefit of a rewrite lol. Joking Aside, I give you the next chapter of Aiming For A Kalos Victory. Anyway, on with the story.**

* * *

 **Enter Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie**

Morning time was here, and there were rays of sunshine through an open window. A gentle breeze pushed the curtains aside as a flying type chirped about the new day. Flying around the house, Fletchling was greeted by a brown-haired woman. "Good morning Fletchling, I hope you had a good night rest last night" the flying type heard. He simply stretched his wings, motioning he was wide awake.

"That's great to see" she commented. Unfortunately, there was one more person she was more interested in at the moment. "Hey, how about you wake up Serena for breakfast" she asked her flying type. "Lazy girl, I went up once, but as usual, once is never enough" she was slightly annoyed by her daughter. Knowing her daughter's usual habit of oversleeping, she had more than enough time to prepare breakfast.

One cue, the Tiny Robin Pokémon flew towards Serena's room. With the door opened ever so slightly, the small flying type had an easy time sneaking in. Making his way towards the sleeping 'beauty', he landed on her head. I simply Peck attack should remedy her sleepiness.

"AHHH, quit waking me up like that" Serena yelled, frustrated over her treatment. Not realizing she was on the side of the bed, Serena fell off onto her back.

Fletchling landed on the pink bow on the blonde's hair. "Ling ling" he cried out.

Despite the rude wake up call, probably from her mother no less, Serena made her way towards the window. Opening the double-door window, she takes in a deep breath to welcome the new day. "I can't help but feel as if something interesting is going to happen soon" she told no one in particular.

* * *

Walking around, a yellow haired male and female wander around the Prism Tower. They watch as various people enter. Just as fast as they entered, they were seen leaving. Unless they met a certain requirement, they were turned away and denied a battle with the current gym leader. Sadly, the real gym leader was ousted from his gym which also doubled as his lab.

Joining him was a smaller blonde-haired girl. She could only look on as they were locked out of their own gym, well her brother's at least. They had tried multiple times to reenter with each time ending in failure. Her brother put up some serious security that even he couldn't break. Looks like they would have to wait until they came up with another plan to break in.

"That must be the Lumiose City Gym" they heard a trainer admire the Prism Tower. "Let's go get our first badge buddy" they watched on. Hearing how this was going to be his first badge he attempts to receive, they knew they would be seeing him again soon.

Unable to continue standing around, Clemont and Bonnie walk around the Prism Tower. They were powerless to do anything at the moment. They were about to give up. Looking up, Clemont hoped to find some sort of inspiration to help him break into his own gym. "Do you hear something?" he heard his sister Bonnie ask.

Indeed, he saw a hidden door open. Quickly he recognized the trainer from before. "Oh no, he's about to hit the ground" Clemont sprang into action. Both him and Bonnie ran towards the falling trainer. Thankfully his backpack was well equipped to deal with an array of strange situations. "Clemontic gear activate" he threw his backpack.

The backpack let out an air bag large enough to catch a few people. The strange trainer landed on the air bag, bouncing up once again, and crash landing on the ground below. His Pokémon landed on him, causing him to let out a grunt. At least they didn't hit the ground first. "Are you okay?" Clemont asked out of concern.

"I've seen better days but thank you" the strange trainer replied.

Instantly, the younger girl is excited by the Pokémon nearby. "Look Clemont, it's a pikachu" she hugged the electric type. "And what a cutie" she began nuzzling his cheeks.

"Hey uhm" Ash stuttered, "I don't think Pikachu" he began only to pause when the crackling sound of electricity interrupted him.

The electric type let out a burst of electricity, shocking the young girl and causing her to fall over.

Meanwhile, a blue frog looks on as a bright yellow light fades away as quick as it had appeared.

Quickly though, Bonnie sits up laughing. "Gee that was fun" she continued to laugh.

"Bonnie, apologize to Pikachu right now" Clemont scolded his younger sister. She didn't have to grab Pikachu so forcefully.

"But I really wanted to hug Pikachu, he's just so cute" Bonnie quickly let out, explaining herself.

"But did you consider if Pikachu liked it" Clemont countered.

Bonnie quickly thought about what Clemont said. What if Pikachu doesn't like to be hugged. "I'm sorry Pikachu, I didn't mean to hurt you" Bonnie let out shyly.

"Pika Pika" the electric type nodded, signaling everything was alright.

"It's cool, we now you didn't mean to startle Pikachu" the trainer responded. His attention was turned back to what led him there in the first place. "What a weird gym" Ash commented on his experience. While looking at the tower, he failed to realize a guilty look on the two-sibling's face. Pushing that though aside, he might as well make some friends while he is here. "By the way, I'm Ash Ketchum and this is my partner Pikachu" he introduced himself. "We come all the way from the Kanto Region" he continued.

"Nice to meet you Ash, I'm Clemont and this is my little sister Bonnie" he introduced himself as well, with Bonnie giving a bright smile. "The Kanto Region huh" he begins to think.

"Yeah, I'm here to take on the Pokémon League" he states. Sadly though, it looks like he isn't going to be earning his first badge on his first day in Kalos.

"So that must mean you're a Pokémon trainer" Bonnie's eyes quickly lit up. She saw a nod from the Kanto native. "Lucky, I wish I was old enough to travel with my own Pokémon" Bonnie pouted, wishing she wasn't young.

Ash smiled back to the younger sibling. He remembers when he was her age. "No need to worry Bonnie. I felt the same when I was younger" he brought back those feelings he had years ago. Looking back to the older sibling, an idea popped into his head. "I know we just met, but if I can't have a gym battle, I want my first battle in Kalos to be with you" he requested a battle with Clemont.

The gym leader was surprised by a direct request from Ash. This guy was straightforward as to what he wants. In any case, this is a perfect chance to see the results of his own training. "Alright, you're on" the blonde accepted the challenge.

The found a nearby field suitable for their battle. "Ready for this buddy" Ash asks his partner Pokémon. Pikachu runs to the field, discharging a few jolts of electricity signaling he is ready.

From the side, a small blue frog quietly watches while hiding in between some bushes. Something about the trainer caught his attention.

From his side of the field, Ash and Pikachu were looking forward to their first battle in the Kalos Region. Thankfully Clemont was also looking forward towards the battle as he had a strategy to test. " _I know I may have caught him recently, but he is perfect for this battle"_ Clemont knew just who he wanted to use. "Come on out Bunnelby" Clemont reveals his Pokémon.

Bonnie quickly runs to the middle of the sidelines. She figured she would have the best view from there. Raising both arms to form a Y shape, Bonnie explains the rules of the battle. "The battle between Ash and Clemont will be one on one. Good luck to both of you and lots of love" she cheerfully leaps in the air.

"Ash, you get the honor of starting this battle" Clemont kindly offered.

The trainer nodded. "Let's start this off with Quick Attack" Ash ordered. Pikachu sped towards his opponent in zig zags. If he ran in a straight line, hitting him would only be a matter of responding. Quickly closing the gap, the electric type made contact with the normal type, knocking him back quite a few feet.

Thankfully the normal type managed to use his ears to land upright, ready for his command. "Use Mud Shot" Clemont responded. With that, brown orbs were hurled at Pikachu. If one hit, the electric type would be in serious trouble.

"Spin-dodge the Mud Shot and go in with Iron Tail" Ash reacted to the attack.

By spinning to avoid the attack, Pikachu managed to curve away from the attack just enough to dodge but still maintain his path towards his opponent. "Pika" let out the mouse as his tail began to glow. Using the extra energy from the spin, the electric type swung his glowing tail intended for Bunnelby.

From the sidelines, Bonnie was amazed by the performance Ash and Pikachu were displaying. Pikachu could immediately follow up with the next order without delay. Ash too could also call the next order, knowing his Pokémon would immediately respond.

Clemont however was no novice himself. He expected a counter attack from Ash. "Bunnelby, use dig" he calmly ordered. This is where he would begin to test his strategy.

In an instant, Ash knew this was a problem. "Pikachu, run around with Quick Attack" he ordered. If he couldn't see the attack coming, he might as well make himself a harder target to hit.

From his side of the field, Clemont was impressed by Pikachu's speed. It was obvious that this was his best asset in this battle. Unfortunately for his opponent, it wouldn't be enough to help him here. "Now Bunnelby, come back up and use Double Slap" the blonde ordered. Although he had yet to truly learn his newly caught Bunnelby's limits, this was something he was confident his Pokémon could do.

The normal type came up from the ground, stopping Pikachu in his tracks. With his ears, he began slapping Pikachu side to side.

While Pikachu was being hit, Ash saw his opportunity. "Use Thunderbolt" he called out, knowing an attack at this range would surely get him a step closer to victory.

"Pikachuuuuu" the electric type unleashed his attack.

Clemont smirked confidently. This is what he was waiting for. "Quick Bunnelby, use your ears on the ground" he let out.

The normal type could only trust his trainer. He dug his ears into the ground, causing some dirty to fly in all directions.

The Thunderbolt made contact with the dirt in the air, causing it to cancel out.

The normal type stood by, surprised. He was expecting to be zapped by the Thunderbolt.

Clemont on the other hand smiled. "Looks like my anti-electric strategy is working like a charm" he pushed his glasses up. Looks like he was a step closer to his goals.

Still watching from the sidelines, Bonnie was also in awe over her brother's performance. She has never seen him battle with this much enthusiasm, not even during gym battles. Ash was certainly someone special if he brought out the best in Clemont.

Ash on the other hand was only growing more and more excited as the battle went on. His opponent was no slouch. However, Ash did see a weakness in Bunnelby, his ears. If he could keep those ears occupied, then perhaps he could win the battle. "Pikachu, go in with Iron Tail" Ash began putting his plan into action.

The electric complied, knowing his trainer had something planned.

Clemont once again prepared himself for the incoming attack. He wasn't sure if Ash had something planned or if he wanted to try attacking with Iron Tail again. The gym leader wasn't able to finish that thought as he saw a man-made electro web fired at the two Pokémon on the field.

Pikachu's fast reflexes allowed him to avoid being captured. Bunnelby was out of the traps range.

Annoyed by the interruption, Ash turned to see who cast the net. "We were in the middle of a battle" he began. "And who are you guys?" he hoped it wasn't who he thought they were.

"Prepare for trouble here in the Kalos"

"And make it double before we say adios"

"To protect the world from devestation"

"To unite all people within our nation"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love"

"To extend our reach to the stars above"

"Jessie"

"James"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight"

"Meowth dat's right"

"Wobbuffet"

Why did he even doubt it was them for a moment. "Team Rocket" Ash called them out, more annoyed than anything else. They interrupted such a great battle for this!?

Not familiar with the trio, Bonnie and Clemont were more amazed by the talking Meowth. "Oh cool, a talking Meowth" they both let out, surprised.

Although Ash could understand their reactions over encountering a talking Meowth, he would have to cut their moment short. "Bonnie, Clemont, these people are with an evil organization from the Kanto Region" he briefly explained. "They are known as Team Rocket" he formally introduced them, sort of. "Their goal is to steal Pikachu and any other Pokémon they can" he finished explaining.

Both Bonnie and Clemont were shocked to hear that an organization such as that exists. "Hey twerp, that's not completely accurate and you know it" Jessie defended herself. "We're only after strong Pokémon, not any" she corrected.

Whether they were after any Pokémon or strong Pokémon, they had no right to take away friends forcibly. "Who do you think you are taking people's Pokémon" Bonnie began calling them out. "Go catch your own fair and square" she forcefully offered them an alternative.

Jessie simply began laughing. A young girl like her honestly thought she could stand up to Team Rocket. "Listen up little twerp. You're too young to understand this, it's not fair, but I don't care" she laughed. This young twerp didn't have any Pokémon to steal so there was no point in wasting her time on the small blonde.

"Now them, play nice and this will be over soon" James fired a net at both Pikachu and Bunnelby. Fortunately, Pikachu was able to avoid being captured. He has been through this time and time again. Bunnelby on the other hand, being new to the situation, fell for the trap.

Ash knew Clemont would be worried about his Pokémon. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball on Team Rocket" the teen ordered, hoping to top them from steal Clemont's Bunnelby.

"Yawn" Jessie taunted while covering her mouth with a fake yawn. "Wobbuffet, reflect that twerpish attack" she said, acting bored out of her mind.

On command, the Patient Pokémon covered himself causing him to become shiny. He took the attack directly. A few seconds later, he returned the attack towards Clemont at double the speed.

"Lookout" Ash pushed the gym leader to the side, taking the attack.

Quickly getting up, Clemont, along with his sister ran to Ash's side. "Are you alright Ash?" Clemont was surprised by the trainer's courage. He figured that Ash would deal with these guys on a normal basis if he predicted such an attack. Either way, he himself would need to be more careful when dealing with Team Rocket from now on.

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry for pushing you like that" Ash chuckled. He hopes Clemont wouldn't hold this against him.

The siblings were surprised by Ash's reaction. This guy wasn't backing down despite the disadvantage they were at. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt" they heard him say. Did he not know such an attack was useless, considering how they can return the attack at double the force?

"Hahaha you just don't give up huh twerp?" Jessie taunted the Kanto trainer. "Deal with it Wobbuffet" Jessie casually mentioned.

Once again, the attack was redirected towards the electric type. Pikachu, still in midair, could not react in time.

"Froakie" the blue frog has seen enough. He quickly jumped in front of the redirected attack, intercepting it with a blue orb he was holding in his hands. "Froa" he groaned. Due to his type, the electric attack caused a good bit of damage. "Froakie kie Froakie" the water type let out.

Ash stood by, wondering who this strange blue Pokémon was. More importantly, why did he take the attack directly.

"Yeah yeah, what do you know about being strong you little squirt" Meowth responded to Froakie's verbal attack. If anything, the water type couldn't even move all too well, considering he took an electric attack that left him slightly paralyzed.

Fed up with them, the Bubble Frog Pokémon had a plan to take them down. He leapt into the air, and threw some of the white substance behind his neck at them. Just as he predicted. Wobbuffet attempted to reflect the attack. Sure enough, the Patient Pokémon was unable to simply because he didn't use an attack on them.

"Did you see that?" Bonnie said, surprised by Froakie. "Since he didn't use an attack, they can't reflect it back" she pointed out.

Ash saw the effect the white substance had on Team Rocket. They had the material stuck on them, causing them to be distracted for the moment. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt" Ash ordered, taking advantage of their confusion.

As Pikachu leapt into the air to launch his attack, Froakie also threw an orb of water at the trio. The force of the combined attacks was enough to send them flying. "Not this again" James sighed. Typical start whenever they head off to another region.

Jessie meanwhile was flailing her arms and legs in protest. For once, they had the upper hand. "Well there's always next time" Meowth said, knowing they would have more opportunities.

"Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again" the three heard from the ground.

After that small interruption, Clemont went to check on his Bunnelby. Thankfully he seemed to be fine. Meanwhile, Ash decided to check up on the Pokémon who got them out of this jam. "You okay there" he approached the water type.

Froakie did his best to stand. That was a battle he however could not win as exhaustion and paralysis set in. "Kie" he fell over, fainting.

The Kanto native knew something was wrong. "Hang in there, we'll get you some help" he quickly picked up the water type. However the moment he came into contact with Froakie, something strange happened. Froakie's ability activated, surrounding the two in a blue aura.

Ash assumed this was Froakie's ability, Torrent. It only activates whenever a Pokémon has taken considerable damage. "Where's the nearest Pokémon Center" Ash began looking around impatiently.

Realizing the trainer was unfamiliar with Lumiose City, Bonnie instantly reacts. "Professor Sycamore's lab is closer. He'll know what to do" she reasoned as she motioned for Ash to follow her.

The trainer didn't think twice. He trusted Bonnie's judgement and followed. "I'll get our bags" Clemont stated as he fetched their belongings.

* * *

Receiving lessons from her mother, Serena gently kicks Rhyhorn in its side, attempting to get Rhyhorn to move. "Come on Rhyhorn, it's just me on your back" she would soon regret her words.

The ground type began flailing around violently. All Serena could do was hold on for dear life.

"Woah, Rhyhorn calm down" she attempted to calm the out of control Pokémon.

Although her daughter was struggling, Grace saw this as an opportunity for Serena to learn. "Remember dear, keep your mouth closed" she gave some tips. "You could bite your tongue or bugs can fly into your mouth" she explained.

"It's easy for say that while watching" she yelled back. Slowly but sure however, she was beginning to get the hang of Rhyhorn riding.

Grace took notice of Serena's progress. If this kept up, she would be champion Rhyhorn racer in no time. "That's it Serena, NOW BECOME ONE WITH RHYHORN" she shouted out in passion, raising her right fist in the air.

What Grace failed to realize was how her daughter lost control. Her hands slipped from the rope while the ground type launched Serena from its back. "MOM, I HATE THIS" Serena's voice filled the area.

Walking over towards the source of the yell, a brown skinned girl watches a blonde laying on the ground. "Geez Serena, isn't it time to be up already" she playfully taunted her friend.

"Now isn't a great time Shauna" Serena responded, still with her face to the ground.

* * *

 **There you have it. Chapter 2 of this rewrite. Now some of you have been asking, and since I'm back to answer this question, How It All Began was meant to continue after The Kalos Trip. The Ash Ketchum in that story is the son of Ash and Serena. After seeing the ending of Pokemon XYZ, I knew there was no way I could ever come close to that kind of ending for my story. So instead, I was going to end it the same way lol so original.**

 **Now for some bad news, yeah I know right. The next update may not be for another week or two. I know these chapters shouldn't take long since I have most of what I'm going to write already done. But it's not a simply copy and past, for the most part at least. If you compare these first two chapters with the two from the original, there have been some significant changes. And speaking of significant changes, I raised the story rating from K+ to T. The next chapter will best show case that change as I decided to completely cut out the Ash vs Professor Sycamore battle for something else (I won't spoil it lol).  
**

 **Before I get off topic, I'd like to know if these chapters are too short or too long. To me, this is where I want to be at, as far as chapter length goes. I feel this is a great pace for the chapters.  
**

 **Well thanks for reading chapter 2. This early support I've been receiving is great. Thanks again and till next time.**


	3. Enter Team Flare

**Well hello there everyone. I'm back with chapter 3 of the rewrite. It's funny actually. I know I said this story will be a rewrite, but this chapter isn't. It's completely different than anything I've done before. Anyway, I'll stop stalling and let you get on the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

 **Enter Team Flare  
**

After a refreshing shower, Serena was tending to the small scratches on her face, with Shauna's help. The two had planned to go shopping for the rest of the day as soon as Serena was done with Rhyhorn racing practice. "Geez Shauna, sometimes I feel like getting my own Pokémon and start traveling like you did" she let out. She didn't mind Rhyhorn racing, it's just not a career she would want to pursue. Although she had no idea what did interest her, she figured a journey would help open up ideas. More than anything else, she wanted something to be passionate about, like her mother.

Ready for their day out, Serena and Shauna leave the house. "We'll be back later mom" Serena announced as she walked out of the door.

Watching her daughter leave, Grace begins thinking of ways to get Serena more passionate about something. She tends to sleep in late and doesn't seem to enjoy Rhyhorn Racing either. Although she couldn't force her daughter, should she want to, all Serena needed to do was say she wants to leave on a journey. After all, Professor Sycamore was only a phone call away.

Tiding up the place, she was expecting Delia's son Ash in a few days. Her friend from the Kanto region Delia called to let her know she has sent a package with Ash. "It's been a while" she told herself, remembering days in Pallet Town.

* * *

Ash could only watch, powerless to help. The injured Froakie he brought back to Professor Sycamore's lab got them out of a jam with Team Rocket. And now he was unable to do anything when he needed the help. Ash and Pikachu simply watched from behind the glass of the treatment room as the professor and his assistants treat the injured Pokémon.

Standing next to him were the siblings Clemont and Bonnie. They too were at a loss for words. All they could only do is hope for the best as they stood next to Ash, watching Froakie's treatment. A light was seen turning off. Professor Sycamore and his assistants were making their way towards the exit with Froakie, who was covered in bandages. The three hope for some good news from the professor.

"We're done treating Froakie" the professor announces. "He's going to make a full recovery after a good night's rest" he continued, earning a sigh of relief from the three.

As the professor's assistants lead Froakie away to a suitable place to rest, Bonnie was busy playing with Professor Sycamore's Garchomp. For a Pokémon of his power, he was surprisingly gentle with kids. Clemont meanwhile was browsing the devices that appealed to him, with the permission of the professor of course.

"Thanks a lot professor for helping Froakie" Ash showed his gratitude.

"No problem, and thank you for bringing Froakie back" the professor said, receiving confused stares. He explains the problem he has had with this particular Froakie. The water type has been known to abandoned trainers he sees as weak. That or trainers simply return him as he refused to cooperate with new trainers.

Moving away from such a depressing topic, "By the way, thanks for letting me keep this key stone" Ash reveals the stone given to him by Professor Sycamore through Professor Oak. "Although I wanted to learn Charizard's full strength, at least we managed to perform a Mega-Evolution" he stated.

Both Clemont and Bonnie were surprised to hear that Ash was in possession of such power. They have heard of Mega-Evolutions, but have never seen one performed in person. To them, Mega-Evolutions were a rare occurrence that only those lucky enough to find the necessary stones can perform. "Do you think we can see a Mega-Evolution?" Bonnie jumped up, out of excitement.

Clemont was quick to scold. "Bonnie, we can't just ask the professor to mega-evolve just because we want to see one" he quickly reminded his sister. Besides, the Kalos professor probably had more important things to do.

Professor Sycamore was more than happy to show them what a Mega-Evolution is. For that, he would need Kanto teen's help. "Well I don't see a problem" he stated, surprising the three. "Why don't we have a battle Ash. I've been wanting to see Mega-Charizard personally" he reasoned.

Ash was in a rather awkward position. He loves to accept challenges from anyone. However, this is the first time he has been challenged by a professor to a battle. Shaking away those thoughts, he was looking forward to his second battle in the Kalos region. "Let's do this" he replied.

While the professor led them to an indoor space he had for his Pokémon living at the lab, two strangers dressed in oranges suits stood by outside the lab. "Are you sure this is where we can find some key stones?" one grunt asks another.

The other simply nods in response. If they wanted to have any chances of stealing some key stones, they would have to wait a little while long, for the cover of dusk. Meanwhile, they would wait nearby until the time to strike is right.

The two grunts dressed in orange however failed to realize they were being watched by a Blaziken and its trainer. The pair trailed the two, being careful to not alert them of their watchful eye.

* * *

"Time sure flies when you're out shopping" Serena says as she walks in her house, with Shauna not too far behind.

"It's not shopping if you don't get anything" Shauna complained. They spent the whole day in Aquacorde Town, jumping from shop to shop simply because Serena wanted to see every single one from the outside.

"Ever heard of window shopping" Serena responded. Either way, she had a chance to see just how close Shauna has become to her Bulbasaur. Ever since her friend decided to become a trainer, she has become much more active in pursuing a goal. After giving it some thought and discussing with her friend while on their shopping trip, Serena has decided she would like to travel as well.

"Hey mom, I know this is out of nowhere" she began, unsure of her mother's response. "But is it okay if I get a Pokémon and start traveling?" she could only hope for the best.

Unknown to Serena, her mother has expected this for quite some time. "Well let's ask Professor Sycamore and see if he can set something up" Grace happily responded. Walking over to the phone, she can only think of how much this would benefit her daughter.

* * *

Standing across from each other, both Ash and the professor have their Pokémon ready to battle. "Ash I must say, you and Charizard seem like quite the pair" he complimented on how close the two were. Clearly the two were nearly the same as Ash with Pikachu.

On the sidelines, Bonnie and Clemont were more than ready to witness a battle between Garchomp and Charizard. With the two capable of Mega-Evolution, this was sure to be a heated battle.

"Professor wait, before you begin, you have a phone call" a blue haired assistant rushed in, hoping it wasn't too late.

"Sorry about this Ash, I'll just take a moment" he informed his opponent. "But feel free to explore the lab should this call take much longer than expected" he let the three know. With himself being a professor, every now and then he would receive a call pertaining to his research. These calls would usually take longer than most for obvious reasons.

Sure enough, the call took much longer than expected. Thankfully the professor has allowed them to explore the lab freely in the event of this happening. To wait out the time, Ash and Bonnie were observing the numerous Pokémon the professor had living at the lab. A vast majority of them were recently hatched.

Clemont meanwhile was looking at a photo album with the permission of the professor's blue-haired assistant, Sophie. Flipping page through page, it seemed as if the professor was close with Lysander. Clemont, being an amateur inventor himself, has definitely heard of the legendary inventor of Kalos, Lysander. If anything, Lysander labs was in Lumiose City. " _I wonder if I'll ever get a chance to tour his lab_ " the blonde wondered. For Clemont, a tour of the legendary lab would be a dream come true. Unlike most other people, inventors see their job as playtime rather than work. It's almost as a child playing with Legos.

Being separated for quite some time, Clemont decides to look for the other two. He figured they must be in another part of the lab. Instantly his thoughts go back to the Pokémon that saved them earlier. Walking towards where he last saw Froakie, sure enough, his sister and Ash were there, visiting the recovering Pokémon.

From the looks of it, the two were quiet to let Froakie have his rest. Thankfully he was going to make a full recovery. A Pokémon with as much strength as he does should have no problem fighting through this.

"Ahh, there you are" the professor sighed in relief as he walked towards them. At least with them being together, that saved him the trouble of looking for the three separately. "I apologize for that long call" he said, noticing the time. Unfortunately, they wouldn't have enough time to start their battle as he had to tend to all the Pokémon before they could go to sleep.

Seeing this as a chance to get closer to Pokémon, Bonnie, along with the three, volunteered to help Professor Sycamore.

The Kalos professor gladly accepted, seeing as how him with his two assistants weren't enough. " _Alain always loved to help me with this_ " he mentally said to himself, remembering his assistant to disappeared without a word.

While tending the young Pokémon, Ash remembered the package he had to deliver. "Hey professor" the teen got his attention. "Where's Vaniville Town?" Ash wondered. He wasn't too good with maps himself and wasn't sure if Clemont and Bonnie would join him.

The professor was curious as to why Ash would ask about the small town. Perhaps the Kanto teen could help him solve a dilemma of his. "It's about a day traveling if you take route 4" he explains. "Visiting a friend?" he asked, hoping he wouldn't bother Ash with a possible task.

"Sort of" Ash responded. This person was more his mom's friend than his. "I just need to deliver a package that my mom is sending" he explained.

In the professor's mind, Ash could probably help him out of a jam he was currently in. "I know this is rather quick and on short notice, but I have a favor to ask of you" Professor Sycamore begins.

Quickly, Ash is ready to help the professor. "There's a new trainer that needs to receive their Pokémon in Vaniville Town, but my assistants and me are tied up here with taking care of the Pokémon" he explains. Just as he was about to continue, he was cut off from the teen.

"I'll be happy to help" Ash offers. If anything, the professor has helped him out since before they ever met. It's because of him that he and Charizard can achieve much higher levels than before. "Besides, I'm heading there anyway" he reminds the professor.

The older man lets out a sigh of relief. Since Alain ran off, his lab has been significantly shorthanded. The Kalos teen would provide so much help, that he practically became indispensable to Professor Sycamore. Unfortunately, he is already feeling the negative effects of Alain's absence.

Moving away from the topic, the four discuss plans they currently have for the future. While Clemont and Bonnie weren't sure of their next move for the moment, Ash's plan were to collect eight gym badges and win the Kalos League. While the four were talking about their immediate plans, they heard a rather loud pop from the front entrance. Although it was probably a knock, they decide to check it out anyway.

"Let's get as much as we can and hope one of these is a key stone" the two grunts from before storm the place, scavenging for anything valuable. They make their way in to another room. They couldn't believe it. They found what they were looking for, key stones. Grabbing everything they could in haste, they failed to notice that they had woken Froakie up from his rest.

"Froakie" the water type launches an orb at the two, startling them. Judging by their rushing and the fact that they were grabbing anything they could get a hold of, they were probably thieves.

"We got what we came here for, let's get out of here" they rush out of the room filled with key stones. If they could avoid contact with anyone, that would be a great head start for them.

As they were by the exit, they were spotted by the group. "Hey you two, stop right there" Professor Sycamore commands. He recognizes their uniform. They are with Team Flare.

"Try and stop us" they run out of the lab. On their way out, an explosion collapses the front entrance of the lab to slow down anyone who would be pursuing them.

Quickly, Clemont grabs Bonnie and shields her from the incoming dust. Ash does the same with Pikachu and Froakie while the professor uses his lab coat. For a few short seconds, the group stood still as the dust settled. Their first priority was to check if anyone was injured in that blast. Taking a glance, they confirm that no injuries has occurred.

Inspecting the damage, the professor has a nagging feeling to check on his key stones. Walking to where he stores them, his fears are confirmed. "Looks like my stones that I use for research are gone" he says. The stones are quite rare to find and he has already given a few away. He didn't want to ask for any back simply because they were meant as gifts to assist with his research. Shaking those thoughts away, he sees Ash approaching the damaged doorway.

"No need to worry professor, I'll get back your stones" Ash runs off with Pikachu and Froakie following close behind the trainer.

The Kalos siblings, inspired by Ash, also decide to help the professor as best as they can. "We'll help Ash find those who took your stones professor" Bonnie ran off. Clemont excused himself as he chased after his sister as best as he could.

Although the professor preferred them not got involved, due to the potential danger they may face, he trusted they could take care of themselves. After all, Clemont was a gym leader and Ash was a rather exceptional trainer. With Bonnie being surrounded by the two, there was no doubt the three will be fine together. Doing his part, he informs Officer Jenny of the explosion, to warn others of the potential danger in Lumiose City.

* * *

Back in Vaniville Town, Serena and Shauna were discussing their plans. Although the two would love to travel together, they felt it was best to go on their journey separately once they got to Lumiose City. They figured this was the best option for them as they loved to disagree with each other on a lot of things. That and their shopping trip earlier in the day was an indication to not travel together. "What about Trevor and Tierno?" Serena asks about their two other friends. They too received their starter Pokémon not too long ago.

"We could always travel in pairs" Shauna stated. "After all, Tierno does have a crush on you" she casually joked. Their friend Tierno has never made his crush on Serena a secret. Despite being kindly rejected, multiple times, he still persists.

As much as Serena would love to travel with familiar friends, she felt it would be best if they went their separate ways. That and Tierno's crush was sometimes rather annoying. She simply couldn't see him as anything other than a friend and thankfully he understood. Unfortunately, that did nothing to stop his crush on her until he found someone else. "What about you Ms. I'm hiding my mystery boyfriend" Serena shot back. For years, Shauna has been friends with some guy that she has refused to introduce to her.

"I've told you plenty of times, he's not my boyfriend" Shauna shot back rather annoyed. She was simply keeping her friend's identity a secret simply because he wanted to live a normal life. Although Shauna disagreed, she respected her friend's choice. "When's the last time you had a boyfriend?" Shauna once again went on the offensive. She wasn't going to be the only one thrown under the bus as the saying goes.

Seeing this conversation go nowhere, Serena begins walking downstairs, with her friend following close behind. The two were currently arguing about relationship statuses. At least they agreed that traveling together wasn't the best idea for this very reason.

"Hey Serena, you should see what's on the TV" the older woman notices her daughter and her friend come from the stairs. Perhaps some breaking news would put an end to their arguing.

Still rather heated from her debate with Shauna, the Kalos teen lashed out at her mother. "Well you should see what happened to my face" she referred to her training with Rhyhorn earlier in the day.

Grace quickly went back to watching the news, slightly embarrassed by her daughter's outburst. "What movie is this?" she heard her daughter's friend ask, unsure of what was going on.

" _We're live in Lumiose City, where it is currently being attacked by some strange people in orange suits"_ the three could hear from the TV. _"All we know is a trainer and the leader of the Lumiose City gym where in Professor Sycamore's lab when it was attacked"_ they stated, doing their best to cover from the helicopter above the trainers.

From the house, they saw a guy with a blue shirt commanding both a Pikachu and a Froakie as they defended themselves from a Houndoom and Skuntank. Behind him were two blonde people, with one commanding a Bunnelby. The situation took a turn for the worst as they saw more people in orange suits appear.

" _The situation seems dire as Officer Jenny attempts to stop other trainers from jumping into harm's way"_ the TV showed a crowd of people being held behind a barricade, enforced by multiple Officer Jennys.

"This is terrible, why isn't anyone helping" Shauna said, distressed by the fact that Officer Jenny wouldn't allow for anyone else to be involved. Her friend Serena agreed with her. If she was a trainer, she wouldn't sit around, watching as people are there struggling against some attackers.

* * *

Back with Ash, he noticed some more grunts appear. Although he didn't want to use their new-found strength in these kinds of situations, he felt it was for the best. After all, both Clemont and Bonnie wanted to see a Mega-Evolution. "Come on out buddy" Ash lets out his fire type.

The Flame Pokémon lets out a thundering roar, intimidating the opposing Pokémon. "Oh cool, it's a Charizard" Bonnie runs over to hug the towering fire type despite his intimidating stature.

Although in the middle of a battle with one of the grunts from the lab, Clemont couldn't help but take a moment to admire the Charizard. They are known for their overwhelming power, which is what they needed to turn the tide in their favor.

Revealing his key stone, Ash begins the Mega-Evolution. Everyone, at the moment, stops and observes the rare transformation. This is a power that few people knew about much less get a hold of.

To Froakie, he saw this as the potential that comes with this trainer. Just from battling alongside Pikachu, he could tell the electric type was much stronger than others of his same kind. If anything, he was just a strong Pokémon, period. Now here was another one of this trainer's Pokémon, powering up to a whole other level, despite being strong to begin with.

To Clemont and Bonnie, this was a new experience. They were meant to watch this being performed earlier, however things took an unexpected turn. Either way, they were impressed by the strength Ash displayed with his Pokémon. Mega-Evolution was merely a way for them to express their bond.

From the TV, a blinding light prevented anyone from truly seeing what was going on down below. It was hard enough watching what was going on simply because the tv feed was being recorded from a helicopter quite some distance. Add a bright white light, nothing was no longer visible.

When the light disappeared, a new Pokémon was in its place. _"Oh my, it seems that Charizard has transformed I want to say"_ the reporter stated, unsure of what was going on with the fire type.

Watching the tv, a man with orange hair and an orange beard watched the news with great interest. Those grunts out there were his guys. Although he was the one who ordered everyone to obtain key stones by any means possible, he clearly stated to do it in a very discreet manner. "Someone get Alain in here as quick as possible" Lysander practically yelled out of frustration. These grunts would not make it to tomorrow if he got a hold of them.

With Ash, Charizard was ready to defend from any incoming attack. Seeing Pikachu and Ash alongside him, he knew he had nothing to fear. "Froakie, use Bubble" he heard his trainer call out to another Pokémon. Although he didn't know who the water type was, if Ash was issuing orders, that was good enough for him to trust the strange Pokémon.

With most of the other Pokémon occupied with the Bubble attack, Ash had the opening he was hoping for. "Charizard, use Flamethrower on Houndoom" he said, figuring the best way out of this situation was to knock out each grunt's Pokémon, one by one.

What no one was expecting is the overwhelming power of Mega-Charizard. They figured they could still have the upper hand if they had the advantage in numbers. Seeing as how the battle was turning in favor of the teens, the grunt motions the other grunts to begin fleeing. "Use Smokescreen" a lot of them were heard saying.

Reacting quickly, Charizard began flapping his massive wings. Hopefully he could clear out the black cloud in mere seconds.

Thanks to the flying type's strange shape of wing, he managed to clear the air much faster than any grunt had anticipated. While most of them were scattered and out of view, the first two from before could be seen headed towards Prism Tower.

"Charizard, I need you to get the stones back from them" Ash told his Pokémon. With the head start they got, it would be faster if he sent his flying type ahead while he caught up.

Seeing the pair run off towards Prism Tower, Charizard flew above the tower, to get a good look as to where they would appear. Meanwhile, Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie arrived at the tower shortly after. Ash attempted to open the same door they used to escape into the tower. "How did they get in?" the trainer questioned, attempting to force his way in.

To Clemont, this was more than just a coincidence that they managed to get in. He had this door sealed off. Either way he had no time to think of the possibilities of how they managed to open the door. "Fear not Ash, this looks like a job for science" Clemont had an idea, getting his new friend's attention. "Clemontic gear on" he pushed a button on the strap of his backpack, extending the arm resting in the back. "By using my Aipom arm, I can get us into the building in no time" he exclaimed as the device turned the dial besides the entrance.

The trainer, along with Pikachu and Froakie, watched as the door unlocked, giving them access to the tower. "Science is so amazing" Ash stated, being more than grateful for his friend's help.

"I'm actually kind of good at these things" Clemont sheepishly let out.

Fortunately for them, Charizard returned, holding a small bag. "Great work buddy" Ash opened the bag and saw what they have stolen from Professor Sycamore. It wasn't much, but they managed to take a few key stones from the lab. Thankfully they could return what was taken back to the professor.

Looking up, the trio could see the pair making their way to the top of the tower. Why were they still running? Perhaps they taken much more. Either way, Ash was determined to find out who they were and why they targeted the lab in the first place. Opening the door to the stair way, an explosion went off. The stairway collapsed, leaving the trainer unable to use it. Looks like these guys plan to escape.

"Charizard, take me to the top" Ash asked his Pokémon, with Froakie and Pikachu jumping on the trainer's back.

Being left behind, the two siblings could only wonder what was going through Ash's head. This guy was borderline reckless, but with good intentions.

Back to watching the tv, the trio in Vaniville Town saw the blue Charizard circle around the building as it made its way to the top. _"It appears as if the trainer is pursuing the two attackers, hopefully Officer Jenny will catch up and put a stop to them too"_ the reporter followed them from the helicopter.

It was hard to believe what they were watching. Couldn't that trainer just let the two go and let Officer Jenny deal with them. "That guy sure is reckless" Grace noted, also getting a nod from Shauna in agreement. The three continued to watch the news report closely as a battle at the top of the tower took place.

"Pikachu, use Electroball" the trainer ordered. "Charizard, use Flamethrower" he followed up, hoping to put a stop to the pair in orange suits.

The attacks hit their marks. With one of the Pokémon down, only one left. "Damn you, Houndoom, use Shadow Ball" the grunt with the remaining Pokémon ordered, desperate to stall for time.

The dark type attack was headed for Froakie, who was still recovering from his injuries.

Seeing the water type utterly helpless at the moment, the trainer leapt forward, with arms extended, to hopefully get the Pokémon out of the way. "Look out Froakie" he grabbed the injured Pokémon, narrowly escaping the Shadow Ball, which landed right behind them, leaving cracks on the ground.

The Bubble Frog Pokémon looked on, slightly confused as to why the teen would risk himself the way he did. What surprised him even more was the smile he had. It's as if didn't mind risking himself for Pokémon. Perhaps this is the kind of support Pikachu and Charizard knew they had. No wonder the two are on a much different level than any Pokémon he has met before.

Without noticing, a blue aura once again flared up between the two, this time however, slightly more visible. Unfortunately, they weren't even given the time to notice.

Feeling a gust of wind, Ash saw a helicopter approaching from the side of the tower. "Beware of the Flare" the grunts in orange climb aboard the helicopter, escaping Ash.

Realizing there was nothing more the trainer could do at the moment, he stood up noticing just how high he was. He had a hard time believing he came up all the way here just to battle some grunts. "Great job you guys" he praised everyone.

Charizard returned back to his normal form, seeing as how he wouldn't need the power of Mega-Evolution for the time being.

Pikachu began running towards his trainer. Unfortunately, he failed to notice the cracks on the ground. "Pika Piiiiii" the electric cried out as he fell when the ground beneath him collapsed.

Without giving it any thought, Ash leapt towards his starter. "Pikachu" he dove head first. Ash's reactions were too quick to give Charizard a chance to react.

From the ground, Clemont and Bonnie gasped, seeing their friend jump from the top of the tower. There was no telling what would happen at this point.

With all eyes on the trainer and his Pokémon racing towards the ground, the crowd surrounding the Prism Tower failed to notice an incoming light. The light caught both Ash and Pikachu. "Huh, who are you?" Ash wondered, as he was being lowered to the ground gently. Landing on the ground, the light that saved the two was none other than Blaziken. "Thanks for saving us" the trainer said.

"Blaze" the fire type nodded. As quickly as he showed up, he disappeared.

From the top of a nearby building, a man wearing a cape and a Blaziken mask can be seen alongside the the fire type. "Great work Blaziken" the two disappeared.

The crowd below gathered around Ash. They have never seen such power from an ordinary trainer. While the Kalos Region was focused an Ash's display of power, the Blaziken Mask had a call to make. "I hope he's proud of himself" he removed his mask, allowing him to sigh in relief.

"That was some splendid work out there" a voice said through the phone.

Irritated, the man in mask responded, "Oh shut up, you know damn well how things could've easily gotten out of hand" he pointed out. "I don't know what you're trying to get out of this, but I sure don't want my Clemont and Bonnie in that much danger" the older man fired back, not wanting to see his kids in any danger.

The man on the other end of the call easily understood what he was saying. "Thanks for saving my son Meyer" he began to apologize. "Even though Clemont and Bonnie were never in any real danger, I know how you must feel watching them fight against Team Flare" he imagined, as he remembered feeling helpless, watching Ash fall from the tower.

Although he knew the three were never in any danger, mainly because the two older men were ready to intervene should they need to, he wanted his friend to be more careful of others. "You know Red, with Ash here in the Kalos Region, perhaps you can try talking to him" Meyer suggested. Red confided in him a long time ago about his family he left behind some time ago. Even though he had noble intentions, he still left them.

"We'll see how things turn out" Red ended the call. With his son now in the same region, he had a choice to make. Should he come back into Ash's life or not? "Let's get out of here Mewtwo" he asked of his Pokémon. He has had enough to deal with for now.

* * *

The trio back in Vaniville Town could hardly believe what they had witnessed. Normally these series of events would happen separately, not all in one night, revolving around one person. From seeing the damage at the professor's lab to a trainer fighting away some attacker on top of the Prism Tower, they sure had something to talk about for a while. At least that's what Shauna thought. "My goodness, to top this all off, we got to witness a Mega-Evolution" she stated, this in a state of shock.

Sadly though, Serena and Grace were in their own little world at the moment. _"I recognize that guy"_ Serena saw a close up of Ash, doing her best to remember him. She knows she met him at one point in her life, why can't see remember.

" _That's definitely Ash"_ Grace argued with herself. She found it hard to believe he would put himself in so much danger. Then again, Ash was known to be quite reckless when he was much younger. Looks like somethings don't change. Looking over towards her daughter, it seems Ash's presence is bringing back some memories as well. "Well I hate to say this but it's getting late" the older woman reminded the teens.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Serena heads over towards her room. Thankfully Grace has allowed Shauna to spend the night, considering it was probably too late for her to walk home alone.

Serena was still quiet, even in her room. Earlier in the day, she wouldn't stop going on and on about how much she wanted to find her own path to travel. Now she was silent. Shauna came up with an idea to get her friend talking. "I guess you're thinking of ways to track this guy down and make him your boyfriend" Shauna gave a cheeky smile, hoping for some reaction other than silence.

"I know that guy from somewhere" the blonde responded, not paying attention to Shauna.

Rather annoyed by her friend's reaction more than anything else, Shauna figured it would be best to sleep. If she had any questions, which she did, it would be best to ask in the morning, once the shock of what they witnessed wore off.

* * *

"Incompetence, ignorance, and carelessness, that's what I saw out there" and man angrily said. He couldn't believe he had such people working for him. "Tell the two who started this mess to get the hell out of here or I'll take care of them myself" he threatened.

The grunts nearby could only wonder what he meant by take care of them himself. Playing it safe, they obey his orders and attempt to find the pair in question.

"Alain, you see this" the man turned towards his newest assistant. "This is why I need you in my organization. These two idiots are the kind of people who give Team Flare a bad name" he briefly explained the situation. If people saw Team Flare in a negative light, it would make accomplishing his goals much more difficult as people would attempt to stop them.

"So what is it exactly that you need me to do" Alain asked, unsure himself how this has anything to do with him. If anything, he was still rather confused by the situation. He was busy making his way back to the outskirts of Lumiose City, preventing him from keeping up with the news.

"For now, just go around and train with your Charizard. I'm going to need strong and competent people with me and so far, you're my ace" Lysander told the teen. "Whenever I have an actual job for you, I'll give you a call" he finished.

Alain nodded, understanding his assignment. With the power of the key stone that his boss provided him with, he and Charizard will grow stronger in no time.

* * *

Morning time came around, revealing the extent of the damaged caused by Team Flare. Thankfully it everything that was damaged could be replaced. "We're really sorry about your door" the Kanto native stated. Although he had nothing to do with its destruction, he figured it would be best to find a way to cheer up the professor.

Fortunately, the older man wasn't too concerned about the door way. "Don't worry about it" he reassured the group. "That can be replaced, including the Mega-Stones you managed to retrieve" he began explaining. "I'm just glad you three are safe more than anything else" the professor was more worried about them than anything else. "Anyway, what are you plans for now?" he asked of Clemont and Bonnie.

The siblings gave each other a nod. "We asked Ash if we could tag along with him to Vaniville Town, which he said yes" Clemont responded. He needed a few days away from Lumiose City to clear his mind of the disaster he caused at the gym. That and Ash had no idea where he was going.

"Well, I won't keep you here any longer" the professor waved. "Have a safe trip" he said goodbye.

"Alright, let's go" he ran off, with both Pikachu and Charizard behind their trainer. "Ahh" Ash let out, as he was struck by a foamy substance. "What's this" he looked around to see where it came from.

It was Froakie. He stood before the trainer, hoping to join him as well. "Froa" he rolled an empty Pokéball towards the trainer's feet.

"How cute" Bonnie let out in excitement. "Looks like Froakie wants to come with us" she said, excited to have another Pokémon join them. If anything, that meant more friends.

"I think she's right" Clemont added. This was a strange way for any Pokémon to join a trainer. At least he has never seen this himself.

Unsure of what to do, the teen looks to Professor Sycamore. After all this was a starter Pokémon he has tried to give to trainers quite a few times.

"It seems Froakie has chosen you to be his trainer" the professor smiled. If anything, he was more than happy to see that the water type finally found someone to call his trainer. "Take great care of him Ash" he gave Ash the approval he was looking for.

Ash kneels down to pick up the Pokéball. "Would you like to travel with us?" Ash asked one more time.

The water type joyfully jumped into the air, touching the Pokéball. "Froakie" he happily let out.

The Pokéball only shook once, with the red light instantly disappearing. "Alright, I got a Froakie" Ash held up, posing with both Pikachu and Charizard.

"I thought you had to battle a Pokémon to capture it" Bonnie was slightly confused. At least that's how Clemont got his Bunnelby.

Even the older sibling had to agree. This was a rather unusual way of capturing Pokémon. "Looks like Ash has a unique way of making friends" the professor chimed in, agreeing with the two.

Saying their goodbyes, the trio head off towards their next destination, Vaniville Town. "No fair, Pikachu and Froakie get to ride on Charizard" Bonnie cried out, attempting to hope on herself.

"That's dangerous Bonnie" Clemont attempted to catch his younger sister with his Aipom arm.

Seeing the three head off, Professor Sycamore can only wonder what kind of adventures they will have. Ash was no doubt a rare trainer. It reminded him of someone. "Where ever you are Alain, I hope you are doing well" Professor Sycamore looked to the sky, wishing his former assistant the best of luck in his goals.

* * *

 **I hope everyone here has enjoyed this chapter. I didn't push the T rating as much as I would like to, simply because I feel it's too early in the story to do so. Anyway, I've decided to do something new. I'm assuming people who put public reviews of this story wouldn't mind other readers to see them. So I'm going to answer them here. If anyone is opposed to this, just let me know and I'll stop.**

 **AF251298 - I'm still experimenting with the perfect chapter length. Obviously some will be longer than others. There isn't a certain length I'm pushing for like I was with the original story. Right now I'm simply pushing for the best way to present the each chapter without overwhelming the reader or myself. But thanks for your concern.**

 **ultimateCCC - Don't worry about that. I learned my lesson the first time. But if you feel at anytime I'm straying to far from the main plot, please feel free to keep me in check.**

 **Amourshiper35 -** **Thanks for your support. The whole Ash and Froakie aura thing, I figured starting their development early would help in the long run. Anyway, I hope to see your continued support.  
**

 **El Presidente - Some people are just naturally slow and there isn't really much they can do about it. Thanks for the suggestion, but Clemont will remain slow simply due to his nature.**

 **Well guys, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I don't need to say much about the next chapter since I'm sure many of you have already guessed it. That's right, Ash and Serena will meet each other once again. I would explain how it happens here, but that's the whole point of writing the next chapter lol.**

 **Next Chapter: Reunion and a Meeting With Two Fairies**

 **I'll see everyone next time.**


	4. A Meeting With Two Fairies

**Well hello every one. I'm back with the next chapter of this story. Quick explanation, I split this chapter into two. This was something I decided to do at the last moment, so don't worry, the next chapter is finished too. I just need more time to edit it but this one is ready to go. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Let's get on with the next chapter.**

 **A Meeting with Two Fairies**

* * *

"I'm sure we'll find him somewhere nearby" Ash reassured the younger sibling. They are currently searching for a Pokémon that Bonnie found not too long ago. Arriving in Aquacorde Town, the trio take a quick break. Having encountered the small electric type right outside Santalune City, they were led to Aquacorde Town.

Bonnie was slightly disappointed they weren't able to find the Dedenne she befriended. She discovered the little electric type sleeping in her sachet. Had she not attempted to pull out a handkerchief to clean up Ash's newest friend, the sleeping Dedenne would've gone unnoticed.

"Come on out Fletchling" Ash called on his newest friend for help. Thanks to Froakie, Ash managed to capture a flying type right before they entered Santalune City. "Help us look for Dedenne" he asked of his flying type, knowing he would have a better view, spotting the electric type from the sky.

The flying type took to the air, in search of the small Pokémon.

"Perhaps if we split up, we will have a better chance of finding Dedenne" Clemont suggested. Receiving a confirmation from Ash, they agreed on a meeting point in an hour from now. Not wanting to split up with his sister, Clemont and Bonnie went their separate way.

Ash on the other hand split his group up once again. He released his Charizard and asked for his help as well. Pikachu hopped on the fire type's back, deciding to join his old friend. "Looks like it's just you and me Froakie" the water type leapt on Ash's back, standing where Pikachu normally stood. Despite only knowing each other for two days, they felt as if they have been friends for quite some time. The two began to wander around the small town in search of Dedenne, not paying attention to their surroundings.

* * *

"It's getting kind of late Serena" Shauna complained. They have been walking around the town for quite some time. Thanks to Serena not getting anything the day before, they had to relive the shopping trip all over again. Had she not decided to become a trainer, seemingly out of nowhere, they probably wouldn't be walking all over Aquacorde Town. "Besides, you still haven't told me who you want your starter to be" Shauna complained. Ever since they saw what happened to Lumiose City the night before, Serena has been less attentive throughout the entire day.

Lost in thought, her friend had a point. Serena knew she would have to decide over which of the three starters she would want as her first Pokémon. "I guess I'll know when I meet them" she responded, still unsure over which of the three she would pick. Lost in thought once again, she began to wonder about that familiar person she saw on tv. It bothered her to no end that she couldn't seem to put a name to that face.

Shauna nearly popped a vein. Not only was her friend being more undecisive than usual, she was basically ignoring her presence. Watching her friend turn a corner, she sees that she ran into someone, knocking them both back a few steps. "See what happens when you don't pay attention" she added, watching Serena rub her forehead to numb the pain. "We're really sorry" Shauna interrupted herself, seeing who she was talking to.

"Well I'm sorry too" he began to apologize. "If I was paying attention, we could've avoided this" he did his best to hide his embarrassment with a cheeky smile.

"Froakie" the water type on his shoulder added.

The two friends were speechless. Standing before them was the guy on tv who took on the people responsible on the attack in Lumiose City. He was standing right in front of them.

Unsure of what to do next, Ash casually waved at the two. "Well I'll see you around" he was unsure of what to say. Walking away, he couldn't help but wonder about the girl he ran into. Although he has met plenty of girls on his journeys, he found this one appealing to say the least. Shaking those thoughts away, he had to continue looking for Dedenne.

"Wait" the two gained his attention. "You were that trainer on tv last night" Shauna quickly stated.

Much to his surprise, these people knew who he was, sort of. _"They put me on tv"_ Ash wondered. He had no idea they were covering his battle against Team Flare. Then again, he should've known an event such as that was bound to get coverage. "Err well yeah that's me" he grinned, slightly embarrassed over the whole show he put on last night.

Immediately one question comes to Shauna's mind. "What brings you all the way over here?" she had a challenging time coming up with any logical reason. Unless it's true that Serena knows him. That must mean he came to visit since there is no real reason for anyone to go to Aquacorde Town. It's one of those towns where you really must want to go there because ending up there by accident was virtually impossible.

Although Ash would like to keep the fact that he was carrying starter Pokémon for a new trainer a secret, for privacy reasons, he could at least talk about the package he was delivering. "I'm actually headed to Vaniville Town, I have a something I need to deliver" the trainer explained, hoping these two were at least somewhat familiar with the area.

Serena was quick to respond. "If you need help finding the address, I can help" she offered. "I'm from Vaniville Town by the way" she added, reassuring the trainer she could be of immense help. Quickly reminding her manners, "I'm Serena by the way" she offered a hand while introducing herself. Slowly but surely, memories of her childhood were slowly pouring in.

"I'm Shauna" her friend introduced herself, doing her best to suppress a grin. She had a challenging time remembering when was the last time Serena was quick to jump into action. Either way, it's obvious this strange trainer was the cause of her friend's strange behavior. But she had to agree with her friend. This person standing in front of them was quite the looker.

"My name is Ash, and this is Pika err" he quickly corrected himself. With a Pokémon the same size as his yellow friend resting on his shoulder, it was easy to forget Pikachu wasn't always the one standing there. "This is Froakie" he sheepishly smiled. "I'm sorry about this, but I'm kind of busy helping some friends on mine search for a Dedenne" he told them, resuming his search.

Ash. As a overflooded dam that suddenly burst, that name filled her head with memories of Pallet Town. This was someone she was close to at one point. Sadly though, it seems he doesn't remember her. Shaking that thought away, she figured it's been such a long time, that anyone would forget. Hopefully she could use the time they're together to see if he could remember her. Once again, the blonde-haired girl was the first the act. "We can help if you need it" Serena volunteered herself and Shauna without asking.

The brunette was growing annoyed by her friend by every second. She could've at least asked if it was okay with her before agreeing to do anything. "Looks like I have no say in this matter" she responded sarcastically.

Seeing as how the sun is beginning to set, he would rather not take their time. "It's getting kind of late so it's okay" he said hoping not to ruin their plans. He still had a few places to search before he had to meet up with Clemont. Having searched throughout the small town earlier, he figured looking in the forest not too far would be an excellent place for him and Froakie to start.

Although she would love to help, mainly to try to get him to remember their past, she doesn't want to be too pushy. That and Shauna was probably more than annoyed by her at this point. She figured since he is mostly likely going to be in Vaniville Town tomorrow, she would try to look for him as he is delivering whatever he needs to deliver. "Well let me know if you need help with anything else" Serena let Ash know, headed the same direction as the trainer.

Pretty soon, it became obvious to the trio they were all headed the same direction. "We might as well help since we're here" Shauna calmly stated, hoping to avoid an awkward situation. Besides they were done with what they needed. That and hopefully she could see the full extent of his friendship with Serena, as she claims they had.

"Ling Fletchling" a flying type appeared before the group, hoping to gain their attention.

"Raa"

"Pika Pika pi" both Charizard and Pikachu also appeared.

Realizing they have found something, Ash motioned for them to lead the way. The two flying types flew in the direction of interest with the trio down below following.

* * *

Wandering around, the yellow haired siblings come to a small opening in between the trees. The air had a relaxing aura surrounding the area. It's as if they have stumbled on paradise. Looking around a bit, they find the cause of it all. "Well no wonder this place feels so relaxed" the inventor noted. "This place is covered in Fairy types" he hoped to find the electric they were looking for. Realizing his sister wandered off again, the teen panicked. Frantically searching, he discovers something more amazing.

"Look who I found Clemont" the younger sibling held up the electric type they were searching for. The Dedenne was sleeping, however he had a faint pink aura discharging from its body. A sudden noise gets the attention of the siblings, waking up Dedenne as well.

From the direction of the noise, it appears as if a tree is walking towards them. Seeing the branches of the tree begin to light up various colors, the older sibling protectively puts his arm in front of his sister. It's not that he feared the strange lights, he was more worried his sister would spontaneously begin chasing them.

The lights were growing closer. It was obvious the cause of it was headed towards the siblings. But rather than fear the lights, a rather calm aura surrounded the duo. They noticed the Pokémon in the immediate area were more relaxed than anything else. The fairy types however seemed to enjoy the pink aura more than anyone else.

Revealing themselves, a four-legged Pokémon appeared before the siblings. Taking a close look at the two, they were more awestruck than anything else. After all, it's not everyday anybody encounters a legendary fairy type. "I am Xerneas, the Life Pokémon" it introduces itself to them, seeing no harm.

Even more shocking than the legendary Xerneas standing before them was the fact that they can talk to it. "Nice to meet you Xerneas. I'm Clemont and this is my sister Bonnie" he introduced, still trying to understand what is going on. At least the Life Pokémon's presence explained the pink aura in the area.

"Pleased to meet you" Bonnie hugged one of the legs of Xerneas. This was more than she would expect while traveling with her brother and Ash. It's too bad he isn't here to share the moment with them.

"Nene nene" the small electric type bounced on Bonnie's head.

"Oh my, it seems this little one has taken a liking to you two" Xerneas noted. It's obvious the two also enjoyed being around the Dedenne. "Please take great care of each other" the Pokémon stated. It has seen its fair share of despair and violence more times than it would like to admit. Seeing how Clemont and Bonnie interacted with each other as well as Dedenne, Xerneas figured perhaps there are still good people left in the world.

Spending some time with the wild Pokémon, Clemont notices the time. It won't be much longer before he must meet back up with Ash. "It was nice to meet you Xerneas, but we need to be getting back to our friend" he stated, knowing Bonnie would want to spend more time with the Pokémon.

Sure enough, Bonnie began pouting. The thought of leaving was such a bummer. But even she knew they had some place to be. They shouldn't keep Ash waiting, mainly because they figured he would be worried if they didn't show up when they agreed to. "Thanks for spending time with us" Bonnie hugged the Life Pokémon once again.

Wanting to spend just a few more minutes with the duo, the legendary Pokémon kneels to the ground, allowing Bonnie to hop on its back.

Despite his nerves beginning to get the best of him, Clemont slowly climbed onto Xerneas' back as well. "Hold on" Xerneas slowly rose up, warning its passengers. Receiving confirmation that they were safely on its back, he began to dash towards Clemont's directions.

* * *

Back with Ash, the trio were beginning to have a tough time seeing anything ahead of them. A thick fog was preventing any visibility beyond ten feet. Even Ash's flying types had a hard time clearing away the fog. Rather than waste their energy, they decided to fly low and at a slow speed, to allow their trainer to keep up with them.

Spending some time searching for his friends, he notices the time. Pretty soon he would have to make his way back towards Aquacorde Town. Him and Clemont agreed to meet up at a certain time should they be unable to find the Dedenne they were searching for. "Well thanks for all your help, but I think I need to head back" he tells the two girls with him. He felt slightly guilty about them helping him only to find nothing.

Although she wanted to stick around a little bit longer, Serena knew he had somewhere to be. "Well if you're in Vaniville Town tomorrow, come by my place and I can help you find the address you're looking for" she reminded the teen. Hopefully if he accepted her offer, she could find something to remind him of their past together.

To Shauna, either this guy truly had no memory of Serena, or her friend overstated their friendship. Forgetting that, she noticed some colored lights headed their way. Pointing it out to the other two, they notice the lights getting closer. "No way, is that" Shauna thought she recognized the Pokémon. If it's who her friend has talk about so much, then it's one of the Kalos legends.

"Hey Ash, over here" Bonnie called out to her friend through the thick fog. She recognized the outline of the shape of the Charizard above with Pikachu. Meanwhile, Froakie has taken Pikachu's usual perch while Fletchling rested on the trainer's cap. "Check out our friend we made" they were finally close enough to talk to each other without shouting.

While Ash had no idea who the Pokémon was, he had a feeling this was a rare one indeed. Serena on the other hand has heard of the Kalos legend through her friend. It's safe to say however that she didn't remember much from that conversation.

"Thanks for bringing us to our friend" Clemont thanked the Pokémon. "By the way, I want you to meet our friend Ash" the older sibling motioned towards Ash. "And these two are?" he had no clue who they were. It was his first time meeting them.

"Oh I'm sorry, this is Serena and Shauna" Ash introduced the two others with him. "They were helping me look for Dedenne as well" he briefly explained why they were together. That and the two were headed back towards Vaniville Town.

Examining the three people before it, it was clear they all were complete strangers to each other apart from the two older girls. Even then, Xerneas felt a strong connection between them beginning to form. When it came to the Pokémon present however, Charizard and Pikachu appeared to be closely bonded to Ash. Their relaxed mood around the trainer said it all. It could also tell Fletchling and Froakie weren't too long with the trainer. "It's always nice to see people getting along with each other as well as Pokémon" Xerneas stated. He began lowering himself, seeing as how Clemont and Bonnie found who they were looking for.

The siblings dismounted from the fairy type. "Thanks for everything Xerneas" Bonnie once again hugged the legendary. Although their time together was short, she enjoyed every minute.

"Thanks for your help" Clemont added. Without the Life Pokémon, they wouldn't have found Dedenne or Ash.

Giving a quick nod, Xerneas leaps into the air, leaving the group behind. Once away from the group, it begins to wonder about the Froakie on Ash's shoulder. Something about him seemed odd. Xerneas felt there was a power hidden within the water type, just ready to be unleashed. Only time will tell if that Froakie is something special.

Back with the group, Ash asks Clemont if he accomplished what he set out to do. "Have you caught Dedenne yet?" he asks, wondering if the electric type is now their newest member or is he just going along for the ride.

Quickly, Clemont realizes he needs to catch it. "What do you say Dedenne?" the older blonde asks. "Would you like to travel with us?" he asks politely, holding out a Pokéball.

The Antenna Pokémon thinks back to the brief time he has spent with them. Although he will miss being a wild Pokémon, they have had quite a great time together, and it was only in the course of one day. He could only imagine the adventures they will go through together. "Nene nene" he jumps towards the Pokéball, letting himself get captured.

"Alright, I caught a Dedenne" Clemont holds the electric type's Pokéball in the air.

Bonnie joins in the celebration. Although the young sibling isn't old enough to be a trainer, she now has a Pokémon friend to travel with that she can call her own. "We're going to be the best of friends" she nuzzles her new Pokémon.

While Bonnie was being shocked, one thought lingers in Clemont's mind. "Looks like we still have time to deliver that package" he said, seeing the sun almost all the way down. This of course earned him some blank stares. "What?" he shrugged his shoulders, confused by everyone's gaze. "If we try going during the day, they may not be home which means we need to wait longer" he reasoned. Considering it wasn't too late into the evening, they would have time to deliver the package and make it back to Aquacorde Town with reasonable time.

The two girls look to see what Ash would do next. Seeing him pull out a package from his backpack, they hear him calling them over. "Do you two know where this address is?" he asks. They figured Clemont managed to convince him into delivering the small box.

"Why this address isn't…" Serena slowly took a closer look at the address. " _I must be seeing things, right?!_ " she had a tough time believing what she was seeing. Ash had to take this to her house.

By now, Shauna was growing a bit concerned for her friend. Perhaps she had a difficult time reading what was written on the box. Deciding to poke her nose in the confusion, she comes to the same realization as her friends. "You mean to tell me Ash was going to your house this whole time?!" Shauna burst out, startling both Clemont and Bonnie.

* * *

 **Well guys, that was the end of this chapter. I know I left it on a cliffhanger sort of. Don't worry though, like I said above, the next chapter is already done. I just need more time to edit it some I ran into a lot of errors while rereading it. Well let's see what the readers have to say now.**

 **UltimateCCC - Apart from being cute, Fairy types are also quite strong, well against dragons that is. For some reason, I think of them as a Tickle me Elmo holding a knife lol.**

 **Amourshiper335 - Thanks again for the support. I'll be sure to bring much more content in these last few weeks of November since I do have two more chapters planned to be released before December.**

 **Ooobserver - Hey there, it's been a while since I've heard from you lol. I see the concerns you have over Charizard mega-evolving early in the story. I guess I should of made it more clear in the previous chapter, but Mega Charizard is only in this early to have Ash get Team Flare's attention. Guess I need to do a better job of trying to convey these thoughts. But thanks again for your support. And to anyone reading this, I highly recommend reading this writers stories. Anyway, I hope to continue getting your support throughout this story.**

 **Well everyone, that's it for now. The next chapter should be up soon so don't worry about waiting a long time like you did with this one.**

 **Next Chapter: Reunion**

 **Anyway, I'll be seeing everyone soon. Thanks again for the support.**


	5. Reunion

**Hello everyone and welcome back. I'm done editing the second half of what was supposed to be one chapter lol. Anyway, let's continue on with the story before I begin some random rant no one reads.**

 **Reunion**

* * *

The walk to Serena's house was awkward to say the least. After Ash told the group this was a gift from his mom to a friend in the Kalos Region, there was one thought on everyone's mind. This was a small world. Although Serena or Ash have yet to say anything, Bonnie and Clemont begin to suspect that these two have known each other back when they were younger. Shauna on the other hand finally believes her friend when she said she knew they guy on tv. That explains her strange behavior she has seen from her recently.

"So, looks like your mothers know each other?" Shauna questioned, hoping to break the silence. That and she wanted to know more about the two, if it was true that they are old friends.

"Well they kind of met because of us" Serena nearly whispered, hoping Ash would remember some details of their shared past.

The only problem Ash was having is where did they meet? Why couldn't he remember? "So we met before they did?" he began wondering. Why could Serena remember all this, but he couldn't?

"Think back to when we were younger Ash" Serena began. Hopefully this time she could get his memory going. "It was at Professor Oak's summer camp" she explained.

Thinking back to Professor Oak's summer camp, he couldn't believe he had forgotten about that. "Ah I remember now" he stated. "It was that one summer after I decided I wanted to become a trainer" he continued.

Seeing some progress, Serena decides to interrupt. "I went to that camp too" she interrupted her old friend. Hopefully this would be enough to jog his memory.

Taking a quick moment to think, Ash couldn't say he does. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember you" he let out.

"Huh" Serena hung her head low. She was sure the trainer would remember her by now. Shaking away that thought, perhaps she could find something in her house that could jog her memory. "That's okay, I'm sure you'll remember soon" she said, as her house was coming into view. "Come on, my house is this way" she began running towards her house.

Shauna sighed. Her friend was acting strange lately. Ever since they saw Ash on tv the night before, Serena has been set on meeting him. Knowing Serena, she is more than eager to find anything that will remind Ash of her. "Well let's get moving" she ran after her friend as well.

Ash and Bonnie soon followed. They didn't want to get lost either. "Hey guys, wait up" Clemont shouted, having a hard time keeping up with everyone.

Entering her house in a rush, Serena startles her mother as she burst in. "Hey mom, you'll never guess who is here" she stated, hoping to surprise her, with the rest follow behind in a much calmer manner.

Grace had a slight smirk. Judging by her daughter's reaction, this should be good. "I do appreciate you bringing your boyfriend for me to meet" she teased Serena. At least the older woman knew this would be enough to calm her daughter down a bit.

"Huh what?" she visibly flinched. She was sure her mom would show some more excitement. Looking back at Ash, she blushed. Did her mom have to say that in front of him? "Anyway mom, remember who we saw on tv last night?" she waved her arms, hoping to distract everyone from what the older woman said.

Laughing at Serena's expressions, Grace walks over towards Ash. "My goodness Ash, you have grown up a lot since I last saw you" she confused the trainer. "You must not remember me huh?" Grace questioned, seeing how confused Ash was.

Although the other three never doubted Serena's claims about being friends with Ash when they were younger, Grace more than confirmed her story. Shauna silently asked Clemont if Ash has terrible memory. Unfortunately for her, Clemont just recently met Ash so he was just as confused as she was.

By now, Serena remembered there was something of Ash that she wishes to return. She heads to her room for a quick moment.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Ash pulled out the package he had stored safely in his backpack. "This is from my mom" he held out the package for Grace to grab.

Taking the package, Grace has an idea to get Ash's memory going. "Please pardon me for a quick moment, but I need to get something. Please make yourselves at home" she left the four behind for a quick moment.

Shauna, being familiar with the house, sat on the nearby sofa. She sat in the same spot she was in when they saw Ash on tv. Joining her were Clemont, Bonnie, and Ash. The three used this time to get to know each other better, considering how they were now all friends. "Whew, I can't believe I still have this" they were interrupted by Serena's sudden reappearance.

"You went to your room to get a handkerchief?" Shauna questioned her friend. By now, she has decided to give up trying to understand her blonde friend. After knowing her for quite some time, she thought she had Serena all figured out. Here comes Ash and all that just went flying right out the window.

"It's not just a handkerchief" the blonde teen walks over towards Ash. She held out the piece of cloth up to Ash. "This is your handkerchief" she offered to return it back to her old friend.

Staring at the cloth his old friend held up, memories of his past began flooding his mind.

 **Flashback**

 _Lost and alone in Viridian Forest, Serena walks fearfully trying to find her way back to Professor Oak's lab. In a tearful voice, "Hello, is anybody here?" cried Serena. Scared out of her mind, she wanders further into the forest. "I didn't even want to come to this camp. I'm only hear because my mom made me" admitted Serena to no one in particular. Being even more lost than before, Serena begins sobbing uncontrollably. "MAMA" screams out Serena. She sees the bushes rustle which frightens her even more. Panicking, she tries to run away. Unfortunately, she trips over a tree root causing her to injure her leg. With the bushes still rustling, she closes her eyes and turns away tearfully awaiting her demise._

" _Poli Poliwag" exclaimed a Pokémon from the bushes. It jumped in front of Serena before in ran off into the woods. Serena was too busy fearing for her safety to even notice the Poliwag._

" _Hey Poliwag, come on out" called out Ash. He came out of the same bush that Poliwag was in moments ago. Ash was surprised to find a girl crying right next to a tree since he expected to find the Pokémon. Being his normal self, he introduced himself. "Hello, my name is Ash, what's the matter" said the boy trying to comfort the crying girl._

 _Still crying, Serena looks down to her knee. "I hurt my knee" Serena said tearfully. Her knee was bruised which prevented her from walking._

 _Instantly, Ash has a solution. He pulls out a handkerchief, "You see this, it's a good luck charm." Ash held up a handkerchief with a blue strip lining the bottom and a Pokéball design the on bottom corner. He uses it as a bandage by wrapping the cloth around Serena's injured knee. "All better" said Ash as he stood up finishing wrapping Serena's leg._

 _Serena attempts to stand. "I can't get up" she said with tears still running down her cheeks. The bandage did not do much to help._

 _Ash smiles at her effort to stand. Obviously he wasn't about leave her alone. "Never give up until the very end" said Ash trying to inspire Serena as he extends his hand. Slowly, Serena begins to reach for his hand. Ash notices the hesitation in her and reaches for her hand. He surprises Serena with his boldness by grabbing her hand and gently pulling her up._

 _Unprepared, she lands right in his arms. She couldn't believe it, she was finally up. Her leg didn't seem to bother her. Suddenly she remembers where exactly she was at. With a confused expression, Serena takes a slight step back and looks up to Ash._

" _Hey you stood up" said Ash giving her a cheeky grin._

 _Serena was at a loss for words and her reaction said it all. She simply stood with her mouth slightly ajar still holding on to Ash's hand. Even though the bandage did very little, his kindness and words of comfort certainly helped her through this whole ordeal. A light blush appeared on her face. She grew a bit curious about this boy. Before today, she never knew the name Ash Ketchum but now, his face will be one she won't soon forget._

 **End of Flashback**

"Wait! I remember you now. You were the straw hat girl!" said Ash excitedly now that he finally remembered his past with an old friend. "Serena that was you! Why didn't you say anything earlier!?" he said, forgetting that he was the one having trouble remembering his old friend.

Serena was delighted by Ash's reaction. She blushed just listening to the way Ash had remembered her as. When they were first reunited, she thought Ash would recognize her instantly. Much to her disappointment, he didn't even after claiming to know him from the past. Now however, she didn't seem to mind seeing as how this outcome turned out much more satisfying. Although this has been a memorable reunion, Serena couldn't let Ash off the hook that easily. Serena pouted, "It's been great seeing you again Ash, but I just can't believe it took you this long to remember me" she shot Ash a disappointed look, making him visibly flinch.

Shana, Clemont, and Bonnie laughed at Ash's reaction. Even Pikachu let out a sigh of annoyance. He knew his trainer was dense and all, but this is a whole new level, even by his standards.

"I think this should be a refresher" Grace returns with a photo album. Judging from the looks of it, it must've been left alone for some time. Dust came flying out as soon as she opened the book containing memories of their time in Pallet Town.

Flipping through the pages, one thing became obvious to Shauna, Clemont, and Bonnie. Ash and Serena were as close as any two people could get. There wasn't a single picture of one without the other. In each one, they were always doing some sort of activity involving Pokémon. One picture stood out above all the others. "That's so cute, you and younger Ash were holding hands" Bonnie burst out, causing Serena to turn her head away.

"That's sweet" Clemont commented. "Was there any particular reason for that?" the Kalos teen asked.

"You see, Ash and I would explore Viridian Forest a lot after he found me there" she did her best to explain the context of the photo, without raising suspicion.

"Serena was afraid of getting lost again, so she insisted on us holding hands" Ash added. Sadly however, this did nothing except embarrass his friend more. The raven-haired teen was clearly oblivious to it all to make matters worse.

Observing Serena's actions, Shauna gives her blonde friend a knowing smile. It's as if she knew something Serena had yet to admit.

Hoping to avoid reaching a certain topic, Serena flips the page in her haste. Unfortunately, Grace forgot to check the photo album for any pictures that may bring painful memories. "Whoa, that guy looks just like you Ash" Bonnie noted. The only difference is the man was much taller. The picture they were looking at was one where Serena and Grace stood together while Ash stood with what they assumed was his mom and dad. They were all in the photo, as if they were one big happy family.

Thinking back to the days when his dad was around, Ash began to wonder where his dad could be at now. It's been years since he has last heard of anything related to him. "Well I'm a bit tired from today, how about we find a place to sleep" he asked his two traveling companions, only telling half the truth. He had a lot on his mind, considering how he had a massive trip down memory lane, both good and bad.

Looking at the time, Clemont remembered they had to return to Aquacorde Town soon, if they didn't want to arrive around midnight that is.

Thankfully Grace had anticipated Ash's arrival. She was more than prepared for this occasion. "Don't worry about it, you three can stay with us for the night if you would like" she offered them a place to stay.

Although Ash was slightly uncomfortable with accepting such an offer, he figured Grace truly doesn't mind. After all, she has known them since back when they lived in Pallet Town. Glancing back towards his two blonde friends, they both nodded, confirming it was okay with them as well to spend the night in Vanville Town.

"Yii pee, we're going to have a lot of fun tonight" Bonnie ran up to Shauna and Serena. She's never been to a sleep over before, so she was looking forward to this one.

While the two girls were busy with Bonnie, Ash decides to go outside for a bit. "I'm going to go let Charizard stretch his wings before we go to sleep, want to join buddy?" he asks his Pokémon. In that instant, the electric type hoped on his trainer's shoulder, standing on his usual spot.

Watching Ash leave, they all begin preparing for sleep. Unfortunately for Serena, she had a lot she needed to set up in her room to make space for Bonnie. Luckily Shauna and Bonnie were more than happy to help with the preparations. Clemont meanwhile set up a sleeping bag downstairs. Luckily him and Ash could prepare in a matter of seconds.

* * *

Half an hour went by, Serena went down stairs to check on her friends. Clemont was fast asleep. Ash on the other hand has yet to return. Worried about her friend, she steps out for a quick moment.

Laying on the grass outside, Ash stares up at the stars above. Joining him were all his Pokémon as well. They all stared up at the sky, wondering what their future held for each one of them. Even though Charizard and Pikachu were expecting to travel with their trainer, collect gym badges, and participate in the Kalos League, this journey already felt as if it was on a much different start.

As if his thoughts had synchronized with his Pokémon's, Ash could only think of how much different this journey started out. In the past he has always brought along Pikachu and no one else, apart from Aipom that one time he went to Sinnoh. Now however, Charizard decided to join him. Even more surprising is just how much stronger his fire type has become in just a short time.

More important however was running into his old friend Serena. He still couldn't believe he had a tough time remembering her or Grace, considering how close he was to them. Even after his dad left, he only grew closer to them as time went by. Thinking of everything they did to help him through a tough time early in his life, the Kanto native thought of ways he could repay their kindness.

"What do you say guys" Ash got the attention of his Pokémon. "Let's win the Kalos League for everyone that has helped us get here" he held up a fist in the air. Having a trainer as driven as Ash, they were more than willing to go the extra mile for him. After all, he would do more than any trainer ever should.

Serena watched Ash's declaration for winning the Kalos League. Ever since she can remember, Ash has always been a very ambitious person. He had a headstrong attitude that tends to get him into trouble. Her friend would always jump into action without even thinking about it once. Many people would grow tired of his careless attitude long ago. Serena however wasn't one of those people. "Mind if I join you for a bit" she politely asks, doing her best to avoid startling Ash or his Pokémon. If anything, she has seen their awesome display of power on tv. She really doesn't want to be on the receiving end of that power.

Not objecting to her request, she sits next to the trainer. "I'm sure a lot must be going through your mind" Serena points out. It was clear that her oldest friend had a lot to think about. She knew because she was going through the same as well.

The raven-haired teen decided to lie back on the ground with his arms stretched out. Indeed, he had millions of thoughts racing through his mind. "I do have a lot to think about" he confirmed. He briefly explained the mixed feelings he currently had. Meeting with Serena and her mom was certainly a pleasant surprise. There was also the matter of the Kalos League he was planning to participate in. But the most troubling of them all was his missing dad. "Oh well, the only thing we can do is keep moving forward" he let out, letting Serena know he had no intentions of taking a step back.

Inspired by Ash's bravery, the blonde teen remembers a saying her friend used to say when they were younger. "Never give up until it's over" she recalled, getting Ash's attention. "It's as if you never changed" she added, still seeing the younger Ash she knew many years ago.

Hearing an old saying of his, Ash lets out a rather strong laugh. It was strong enough to get Serena to join in as well. "I can't believe I have forgotten that" he continued to laugh. The Kanto teen was more than grateful for Serena's presence. She sure knows more about him than he could've guessed. "Thanks for that Serena, I really needed it" he gratefully admitted, causing his friend sitting next to him to let out a rather large smile.

By now, the teens were both looking up at the stars. The silence between the two was more comforting than anything else. Nothing was needed to be said between the two. "Hey Serena" Ash gained his friend's attention. "Thanks for everything" he let out. Just having someone to talk to gave him the opportunity to clear his mind.

Seeing Ash in a much calmer state of mind, she figured now is a good time to ask. "So, what's next for you?"

The trainer simply smiled. The answer has never changed since he was younger. "To be the very best, like no one ever was" he responded.

Serena faced the teen. There was no way she could imagine the kind of dreams Ash was hoping to accomplish. More important, it's the person she admired the most when they were growing up. It's the same person she knew she could continue to admire, despite being separated for a few years.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading everyone. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. But I have a few announcements. Well actually just one. The next chapter is going to be short. And by short, I mean "you must be this tall to ride this ride" short. I'm not going to spoil anything about it so you'll just have to wait until the next update. Luckily though, writing it should take no time. Moving on, let's see what some readers have to say.  
**

 **Amourshiper35 - Well thanks for that. Bonnie will eventually become the focus of this story. For now however, please enjoy the focus on Ash and Serena.**

 **CatastrophicDarkRaven - Well thanks for that. I honestly was in the middle about how it came out. But I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Thanks for the support as well. I had no idea how I wanted them to meet in this rewrite. I tried mixing in the XY games with the anime. As I was writing, the idea fleshed out in my mind, allowing me to come up with this.**

 **Ooobserver - Don't worry about Charizard. I'm not going to have him battle in any gyms since he is way to strong, considering how he can also mega-evolve. And thanks for noticing that as well. Since the anime covered major areas, I always intended to cover areas that the anime hasn't, even in the first version of this story. And the cliffhangers, I never meant to leave the readers in one lol. I just had the first have of this chapter finished and since it's been a while since my last update, I went ahead and uploaded it lol.**

 **ultimateCCC - To be honest, even I wasn't aware of the double meaning behind what Shauna said lol. I'll be a bit more careful next time lol.**

 **As I said before, the next chapter will be much shorter than anything I have written before. I'm mainly doing this as a way to set up the future plot. That and I don't want to tell the story through flash backs.**

 **Next Chapter: Letters to Ash**

 **Once again, thanks for all the support and I hope to see everyone for this next chapter.**


	6. Letters to Ash

**Hey there everyone. Many of you may notice, but this chapter is short. And I mean short. I would talk more about it, but I'm afraid this author's note may be longer than the chapter itself lol. Anyway, please enjoy this very short chapter.**

 **Letters To Ash**

* * *

Sitting at a desk, an older man sits, contemplating how he should begin writing. There are many emotions he wishes to express. Recently, with the arrival of his son, many more emotions have been thrown into the mix. This made the letter much harder to write, as Red had millions of thoughts racing in his head.

 _Hey there Ash,_

 _I can't tell you just how great it is seeing you here in the Kalos Region. I must say, you have become quite strong since participating in the Unova League. I still find it hard to believe you managed to fight off Team Flare by yourself and by extension, save Lumiose City._

 _It's been a while since we have last heard from one another. I'd like to meet in person at one point. I wonder what has been on your mind in the years since I have left. I see you're doing quite well on your own. I question if I should keep things the way they are. If I ever work up the courage to face you one day, I'd like to be a part of your life once again._

 _Enough about that though, I know for a fact that your mother has kept in contact with Grace for all these years. Hopefully with you being in the Kalos Region, you'll have a chance to visit them in Vaniville Town. Although I have no right to joke around about this, I'm betting Serena still has a crush on you haha. But joking aside, you'll always have people watching over you._

 _Whether you accept the letter or not, I find comfort in writing. Even though I never intend for these letters to be sent and read by you, I find myself drawn to writing. It helps express how I feel and gives me a chance to reflect on my past mistakes. I wish I had the courage to hand these letters to who they are meant for. I know apologizing through letters is not ideal, but this is much more that I could ever do in person._

 _There is so much more I wish to express to you, my son Ash Ketchum. You are the pride of Pallet Town as well as your mother and me. I know I have no right to take pride in you as my son. I hope to change this soon. Hopefully one day I will work up the courage. Until that day comes, I'll continue writing these letters._

 _Your Father Red_

Rereading the letter over and over, Red did his best to correct any mistakes. Even if the letters will never be sent out, that was no excuse for poor grammar. Sensing the presence of a Pokémon nearby, Red turns back and sees his psychic type floating behind, observing his movements. "I would say knock before you enter, but you're not a big fan of doors I see" he joked with the Pokémon who would constantly teleport.

In the drawer next to the desk, Red opens it revealing a stack of letters, all written by him. He placed the newly written letter on top of the stack. "You can't keep writing forever Red" an older woman stated, coming in through an open door. Since his son's arrival, Red's writing has been more frequent. The woman knew Red needed to confront his problems. "Writing isn't going to fix your problems" she observed the sheer number of letters he had written.

"I don't plan on writing forever" Red responded. With his son in the Kalos Region, Red was hoping for an opportunity to face his son. "I appreciate the help Mable, but this is something I got myself into" Red made it clear he was the one that would have to mend the rift in his family.

"I never said I would fix anything" Mable replied, watching Red leave with his Mewtwo.

* * *

 **Hey there again. If you're reading this from a monitor rather than phone or tablet, you can probably reading both author's note at the top, bottom, and the whole chapter lol. A lot of you may question why I decided to even write a chapter like this. Well I plan to write about everyone's past to get a clear backstory set up. I just don't want past backstories to be told through flashbacks. Reading The Kalos Trip, I saw flashbacks were a major problem as I overused them. Hopefully this approach is much more engaging. Anyway, it's time to review reviews lol.  
**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Thanks for taking time in reading the original. It was easy to see how big of a mess that became and why I ended up writing a rewrite lol. And yes, you are right about Charizard leaving in this version as well for the reason you specified. I wish I could talk more about the depth of Ash and Serena I have planned, but I'm keeping that to myself, as to not spoil anything. I'm not even giving hints so you'll just have to wait and read lol.**

 **Amourshiper35 - I'll add small things like lines from the OG theme song every now and then. See if you can find any in the upcoming chapter.**

 **Ooobserver - In all honesty, even the writers of the show had no idea how much time they had with XY. But I completely agree with you about the fleshed out back story. I'll make Grace a much more prominent character and I actually plan to use the 'T' rating next chapter so prepare yourself lol.**

 **Colton Fox - As much as I would like to take in reader input, I have to say only if the story calls for it. For now, I can't see anywhere where it will be necessary. But who knows, a chapter may come up where I may decide to have him catch one.**

 **ultimateCCC - Well looks like Bonnie took the test already haha. Stick around to find out if Serena will take the Pikachu test in these upcoming chapters lol.**

 **Well guys, this chapter was short. I'm sure this note is longer than the chapter itself. It doesn't help that I keep pointing that out either lol.**

 **Next chapter: Froakie and Fletchling's Test**

 **Thanks for all the support and I hope to see you all for the next chapter.**


	7. Serena's Pick

**Well hello everyone, I'm back with the next chapter of this rewrite. As many of you may notice, this chapter is not listed. I ended up splitting the chapter in two once again. I'll explain why below, so for now, enjoy this chapter. Now on with the story.**

* * *

 **Serena's Pick**

A bright morning greeted a certain house in Vaniville Town. Up before anybody else, Ash and Pikachu were up and ready for the day. Today was special to say the least. He would get the chance to see the joy of a new trainer receiving their first Pokémon. He pulled out the piece of paper Professor Sycamore has included. It contains the address of the new trainer's house. He knew he would have a tough time finding the house without help, considering how there weren't many houses around and they were all spread apart.

With Clemont preparing for the day, he would have to wait before he could begin making plans. "Hey Ash, you're up early" Shauna commented, making her way down the stairs. "You were out late" she hinted at her friend still sleeping in. It was obvious Serena was out as well. She wasn't in the room for most of the night. Thankfully she had Bonnie's company for most of the night, which she must admit, was quite like hanging out with her friend.

"I was going to come in a little earlier, but Serena came outside so we were talking for a bit" the trainer admitted. Now that he thought about it, they were staring at the stars more than anything else. He didn't want to disturb his Pokémon as they were all huddled by Charizard, as he provided the most warmth.

As if Shauna mentally high fived herself, she knew it was Serena who wanted to stay out longer. Before she had a chance to continue her questions, her friend she was speaking of, interrupted. "Breakfast is almost ready" Serena said, surprising her friend. "Oh hey, nice to see you up so early" she teased Shauna.

The teen was slightly confused. She remembered seeing someone under the covers, which she could only assume was Serena. "I thought you were still asleep!" she said embarrassed, thinking the teen was still asleep. Well there goes the time she had to question the Kanto teen.

"I thought you guys would be up and early so I wanted to surprise everyone" she winked at Shauna, signaling she knew what Shauna was up to. The blonde teen returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.

The brunette teen sighed. Her friend had become someone else the moment she saw Ash on tv. She never seemed to cook for them before. She would also sleep in almost every day. She decided it was best to leave things the way they are, considering how secretive she was about Ash at the moment.

Soon enough, the breakfast Serena had prepared was ready to eat. With everyone eating breakfast they began discussing their plans for the immediate future. "I'm going to take on the Santalune City gym once I leave here" Ash let out when asked of his plans. With Clemont and Bonnie following the trainer, they were also going to leave along with Ash.

As much as Serena wanted to leave with Ash and his friends, she knew she needed to wait until Professor Sycamore's assistant brought over her starter Pokémon. "What about you Serena?" she heard the Kanto ask.

Although she was slightly embarrassed to admit it, she figured it was best to come out with the truth rather that stall it out. "Well you see, I'm actually waiting on someone to come from Professor Sycamore's lab to let me pick my first Pokémon" she smiled with a cheeky grin. Although she had no idea how her friend would react, the expression on his face wasn't helping one bit.

Serena, Grace, and Shauna stare at the three guests. The trio were awfully silent for the moment. They were beginning to think what they really thought of Serena starting her journey late, considering the silence after the blonde's confession.

"Well looks like I don't have to figure out where I'm taking these" Ash breaks the silence, as he pulls a cylinder from his back pack. He opens it up, revealing three Pokéballs. "The professor asked me to come to Vaniville Town to let a new trainer pick their start since I was already coming down here" he explained why he had the three starters offered to new trainers.

Surprised, Grace could only laugh at the coincidence. "Looks like you two were meant to see each other again no matter what" she let out. Its as if they were not meant to be separated from each other.

Finishing up breakfast and cleaning up, the group meet outside. Its time for Serena to pick her starter. "Now then, these are the Pokémon you have to choose from" Ash grabbed the first Pokéball. Letting out the Pokémon, they immediately recognized it. "This is a water type, Froakie" he lets out.

Knowing how his little sister would react, Clemont holds Bonnie back, in order to prevent her from hugging the life out of the starter.

"This is the grass type, Chespin" Ash lets out the next Pokémon.

So far, neither of the two starters have given her the wow factor. Although she had no idea who she would pick, she still had one more Pokémon to choose from.

"And this is the Fennekin, the fire type" Ash let out the third Pokémon.

Grace and Shauna were rather impressed by the Pokémon that Serena was allowed to choose from. They all seemed like the perfect Pokémon to choose as a starter. The choice however was up to Serena.

By now, Bonnie was nearly about to lose it. It took Clemont holding her back with his Aipom arm to keep his sister from making these Pokémon hers. "No fair Clemont, I want to hug all these adorable Pokémon" Bonnie squealed.

"Nene" the electric type, let out, resting on top of her head.

While the two siblings were busy dealing with each other, Serena was busy trying to decide which of the three she wanted to partner with. Looking at Froakie, the water type seemed rather uninterested in anything. Moving on, Chespin was a bit of an odd ball. The grass type would look around then get dizzy simply by spinning. Taking a closer look at the fire type, it was rather calm compared to the other two. It didn't give off an aloof attitude like Froakie nor did it seem clumsy by any means like Chespin. If anything, the two gave each other a curious look. Its as if the two could only wonder what kind of adventures wait for them in the future.

Kneeling down to meet the fire type eye level, Serena has made her choice. "Hello Fennekin, I'm Serena" she introduces herself to the fire type. "How would you like to become my partner?" she asks, hoping the starter would join her.

Without hesitation, Fennekin leaps into Serena's arms. The starter is more than happy to call the blonde female trainer her partner. "Kin" the fire type lets out a small sneeze, with embers flying around.

"How cute" Bonnie lets out. She is more than jealous that Serena picked such an adorable starter.

"Well I think Fennekin is an excellent partner to start off with" Grace lets out. Seeing her daughter smile, she knew Serena would find something to strive for on her journey.

"And thanks a lot Ash for giving me my starter" she hugs the Kanto teen on impulse, surprising everyone nearby. It wasn't until she realized what she was doing that she quickly let go of the trainer in embarrassment. "Sorry Ash, I got a little carried away" she nervously laughed off her little outburst.

"I would say you're welcome, but its Professor Sycamore you need to be thanking for making this possible" Ash replied. After all, the professor was the one who provided the three starters to choose from. Ash was simply a messenger.

Watching the two teens interactions with one another, they were rather surprised by Serena's sudden hug. Most of them simply brushed it off as an impulse of joy on Serena's part. Grace on the other hand was slightly bothered. She saw something she would need to discuss with her daughter before she set off on her journey.

Finally introducing her starter to everyone, despite everyone witnessing her pick the fire type as her first Pokémon, Serena quickly begins making friends with Fennekin.

Bonnie on the other hand was playing with the other two starters, hoping they didn't feel rejected. While the Froakie was more or less carefree when compared to the grass type, the Chespin was quite the shy one. Thankfully, Bonnie shared some snacks with Chespin, who gladly accepted the food.

Seeing as how he has accomplished everything he set out to do in Vaniville Town, Ash figured it was time to leave. He would now challenge the gym in Santalune City, seeing as how he has delivered a package from his mother as well as Serena's first Pokémon. "Well I really hate to go at a time like this, especially since we have finally met again, but I have to head off to my first gym battle" Ash states, signaling he is ready to leave. All they needed to do was collect there bags inside the house and be on their way.

Quickly, Shauna hatches a plan in her head. "Mind if I join you guys until we reach Lumiose City?" Shauna asks, hoping to have some company on the short trip to the big city.

The group nod, letting the brunette join without hesitation. That of course left only one person. "Mind if I join you guys until we get to Lumiose City as well?" she asked. "I need to thank Professor Sycamore in person" she reasoned.

The group nod to Serena's request as well. The more people they had traveling, the more memorable the experience.

Hearing the good news, Serena heads into the house. "Well I need to pack my backpack if I'm going to leave with everyone in a bit" she rushes inside. The blonde figured Ash would want to get to Santalune City as soon as possible to take on the gym.

With everyone inside the house, Grace went upstairs to talk to her daughter. Ash and Clemont meanwhile collect their bags. Shauna ran off home saying she wouldn't take long. "Now we wait" Ash let out, growing slightly impatient. He wanted to make sure he had plenty of time to find the gym and battle the gym leader.

While the group was waiting downstairs, Serena has just finished changing. She had bought the clothes on her shopping trip with Shauna the day before. She still had a hard time believing all this was just one big coincidence. First she reunites with Ash in Aquacorde Town, and now he gave her the first Pokémon. "What's next" she cheerfully let out, slightly startling Fennekin, who was resting next to her.

Grace was on the outside of Serena's door. She needed to have a talk with her daughter before she set off on her journey. Knocking on her door, to respect her privacy, she heard Serena welcome her in. "Ready to leave" she asks smiling.

Not even looking towards her mother, Serena responds, "I'm almost ready." Grabbing two hats, "Hey mom, which one of these is the cuter choice" she holds both of them up, asking for advice. With her mother choosing a red hat with a cotton ball attached to the top, Serena goes with the opposite choice. "Thanks for the help" she wears the pink top with a black strip running across the middle.

"Why would you want my advice if you were going to do the opposite of what I said" Grace asks, slightly annoyed.

"That's simple" Serena had an answer. "What ever moms choose, the cuter choice is always the opposite" she replies, modeling her outfit to her mom.

Ignoring Serena's rather rude comment, it was time to get to the serious talk. But first, a little teasing would never hurt anyone. "Looking cuter has nothing to do with Ash now does it" she asked, slightly suspecting the motives behind her daughter's interest in her own appearance.

Serena was quick to defend herself. "No mom" she instantly blushed. "Besides, I got this outfit before I even saw Ash" she added, letting her mother know the real reason behind such an outfit.

Knowing Serena was telling the truth the whole time, Grace simply laughs off her reactions. Sadly though, it was time to get serious. "Listen Serena, I know we never had this kind of talk, but you're at that age where your body begins to go through some changes" Grace starts. Its obvious that Serena was slightly uncomfortable discussing such a subject. "And that surprise hug you gave Ash, well I'm just going to let you know that you may do somethings simply because you're in the moment" Grace began bringing up her observations.

"But mom, I was just trying to thank Ash and nothing else" Serena interrupted.

"I know, but you did kind of lose control of your emotions for a moment" she warned her daughter. Judging by her expressions, it seems Grace was getting her message across. "I know you may see Ash as a friend at the moment, but what would happen if that were to all change?" she asked.

Serena has never thought about Ash in any other way. She was overjoyed to finally meet someone she was once close to that she tried her best to rekindle that old friendship, despite what anyone else thought of it. "Where are you going with this mom?" she asks, unsure what Grace was getting at.

"What I'm trying to say is right now, you may lose control of your emotions, and act on them" she explains. "I can see that you managed to have some of them under your control, but others, you have yet to truly experience" Grace continued to explain. "Some emotions may become to strong to hold back, that you just let yourself go in that moment" she did her best to explain a different kind of feeling.

While Serena was beginning to see the bigger picture, she couldn't believe her mom would ever think such a thing. "Thanks for the heads-up mom, but I'm sure I can handle myself" she arrogantly stated.

At least she knew her daughter's rebellious attitude never failed her. "I'm sure you can, but if you ever have any questions about anything, no matter how embarrassing, feel free to ask me at any time" Grace reassured her. The last thing she needed was to push Serena away when she needed help the most.

Even though the blonde was slightly disappointed that her mother would even have to bring up this conversation, at least she was glad to know she would always have one person supporting her decisions. "Thanks for everything mom" she said. "I'll be sure to make something of myself" the blonde proudly stated.

Sighing in annoyance, it was obvious to Grace that the message went right over Serena's head. At least she let the blonde know where to call should she ever need any advice.

With their talk over, the two walk down the stairs. They see everyone waiting, including Shauna, who has managed to collect her backpack from her house. "Ready to go?" Ash asks, wanting to reach the gym as soon as possible.

Serena turns towards her mother. "Just one more thing" she runs towards Grace, wrapping her in a warm hug. "Thanks for everything" she lets out, surprising her mother.

At a loss for words, Grace returns the hug. A moment ago, she felt that her message fell on deaf ears. Now however, she could rest easy, knowing Serena would always have somewhere to turn to should anything go wrong. "Have fun on your journey" she wishes her the best of luck. "And I want all of you to please take care of Serena for me" she lets the others know.

They instantly reassure Grace that Serena is in good hands with all of them.

Once they said their final goodbye, the group leave the house, on towards Santalune City. "I'll race everyone there" Ash and Pikachu speed off ahead of the group.

"No fair Ash, you got a head start" both Serena and Bonnie complain as they run after the impatient trainer.

"So it's going to be like that huh" Shauna comments, trying to catch up.

"Wait guys, don't leave me behind" Clemont struggled to keep up.

With a sad smile, Grace waves off the group of friends. She could only imagine how much Serena will change on this journey. "I'll be rooting for you Serena" Grace lets out.

* * *

 **Well everyone, there you have it. Now for a quick explanation. I split this chapter into two simply because they both deal with different subjects. It would be difficult for me to focus on Serena in one chapter and Froakie and Fletchling in the same. So to make it easier to write, and you to read, I split them. As before, the next chapter will be up shortly since it is nearly done. Now then, let's see what the readers have to say.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Hey man, great to see you here again. Told you the chapter was going to be short lol. Hopefully this new approach to exploring the characters past through Red's letters can replace the flashbacks. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to have Ash encounter those letters though. I would like to talk more about it, but I'm going to spoil a lot of the story if I discuss it here lol.**

 **Amourshiper35 - Anything can happen in this story at the moment. Well at least for everyone reading lol.**

 **Colton Fox - As much as I would like to bring in a diverse team, I'm probably going to stick to a simple team like the anime. There will be some differences here and there, but for the most part, the anime will be my guideline as far as teams go.**

 **ultimateCCC - The name Mable is from the elder with the Mawile that can Mega-Evolve.**

 **Guest - Quit spoiling the story lol. Joking aside, I guess I should've done a better job explaining why Ash didn't challenge Viola when he was in Santalune City the first time. I'll make up for it soon though. And yeah, I will put a bigger emphasis on Trevor and Tierno being Ash's rivals for the league. Calem, will play a huge role in the story as well, apart from being Shauna's secret friend lol.**

 **Guest - Thanks for the compliment. I'm hoping to stay away from the same mistakes I made with The Kalos Trip. So if you feel at any moment that I'm falling back into that mess, please, let me know lol. I'm probably not going to have Serena catch a Scatterbug. But thanks for the suggestion in the chapter. I can probably add a Vivillon chapter since it probably won't change the story's direction in any way.**

 **Ooobserver - Hey there it's great to hear from you again. Like I mention to Rajiv, I'm not sure how I'm going to have those letters revealed to Ash just yet. I have time before I have to decide on a method, so hopefully I will come up with something before then.**

 **Annalise93 - Thank you so much. If you feel this story is becoming a mess to read, let me know immediately lol. I hope I can rewrite this story to follow a similar plot, but feel refreshing at the same time, so stick around to see what I come up with.**

 **Guest - I decided to skip on that simply because there wasn't going to be much difference between the rewrite and this. That and I'm sure we all know how Fletchling gets captured from the anime.**

 **Well guys, there you have it. The next chapter will focus on Froakie and Fletchling, as it is the gym battle. The chapter will be up shortly (a day or two max).**

 **Next Chapter: Froakie and Fletchling's Test**

 **Until next time**


	8. Froakie and Fletchling's Test

**Well hello there everyone. I'm back with the second half of what was supposed to be one chapter lol. Sure I may be a day or two late than what I said I would update but here it is. Now before I begin ranting, let's begin the next chapter.**

* * *

 **Froakie and Fletchling's Test**

A few hours past midday into the early evening, a group of friends were seen running around the city after a trainer and his Pikachu. Right behind the trainer were three girls, one of which was considerably younger than the other two. Far behind the group was a blonde male, struggling to breath at this point. From a stranger's perspective, the trainer with the Pikachu sure had some attractive females after him, not counting the small blonde.

Reaching a point of interest, Ash stops right in front of a fountain. There was no doubt he was getting closer to his first gym battle. "We're almost there" Ash held a fist in the air. Only a few more steps and he would be one step closer towards participating in the Kalos league.

Pikachu knew that when Ash became fired up, he was more than ready to take on the gym, if they could find it that is.

Catching up to the energetic teen, Shauna glances at the trainer in question. There was something strange about this guy, strange in a good way. Just taking a look at him, there was no doubt this guy would accomplish what he set out to do. He had a fiery passion that could almost be felt. Shauna found herself slightly blushing. She could see why Serena was after such a trainer, even though she herself isn't being honest with her feelings. "Do you know where the gym is?" Shauna asks. Now that she thought about it, why did she ask such a question. Of course he knew where he was going. Ash has been leading the way the whole time.

"No clue" Ash responded, still as confident as ever. He wasn't going to let a minor detail such as, where was the gym, stop him from getting that badge.

Shauna, Bonnie, and Serena fell over. The three couldn't believe they were following someone who had no idea where they were going. More importantly, how did they not catch on. "You mean to tell us, you were running around not knowing where the gym was this whole time?" Shauna had a difficult time processing what was going on.

"That's exactly right" Ash replied, confident he could find the gym eventually. All he needed to do was to keep moving forward and the next thing you know, he will be at the doors challenging whoever the leader was.

The three girls couldn't believe their friend. Despite having no idea where to go, he led the way. He led the group with so much confidence, they didn't seem to question where he was going. "Well he's head strong, I'll give him that" Shauna noted.

"Oh man, thanks for waiting up" Clemont huffed, doing his best to catch his breath. He didn't realize they were currently lost. "Are we ready to head towards the gym?" the blonde teen asks, noticing a brief hesitation with the group.

"Ash has no idea where the gym is?" Serena pointed out, slightly amused by the situation. She has forgotten how Ash tends to jump into action without ever thinking of the consequences. Reminds her of the time when Ash scared his dad into thinking his Ponyta ran away, when the whole time, Ash was riding the fire type all around Pallet Town.

Listening in on their conversation, a blonde woman with a camera approaches the group. "If you're looking for the gym, it is that way" she points in the direction of the gym.

More than grateful for the directions, Ash runs off once again, to face the gym leader. "We have a badge to win buddy" he takes off, leaving everyone behind.

Soon enough, they reach the main entrance of the gym. Ash was more than ready to win his first Kalos badge. Opening the double doors, a blinding light blocks Ash's sight. He felt a slender figure hops on his head. "What the?' he takes a moment to become aware of his surroundings. "Helioptile" Ash immediately recognizes the electric type, sitting on the ground after falling back.

"Pika pika" the electric type greeted a friend of his. The two exchanged electrical charges, much to the delight of Helioptile.

"Great seeing you here Ash" Alexa greeted the trainer from the double doors. By now, her electric type retreated to the safety of the reporter. Seeing strangers made Helioptile a little nervous.

"Great to see you too" Ash returned the gesture. "I'm guessing this is your sister's gym" Ash remembered the Kalos reporter mentioning her sister was a gym leader.

Alexa nodded. "So it looks like you're going to be my challenger" a blonde with a camera said from behind, startling the group.

"Wait, you're the one" Ash was interrupted.

"That's right" the gym leader confirmed the trainer's suspicions. "My name is Viola, and I'm the leader of the Santalune City Gym" she formally introduced herself to the group. With introductions out of the way, she motioned for the group to walk in towards the gym.

Walking by the entrance, it was clear she was an experience photographer. One picture in particular caught the certain blonde's attention. "Wow Viola, you sure are an amazing photographer" Serena commented, as she stared in awe over a picture containing various patterns of Vivillon. After seeing such a majestic photo, she wouldn't mind seeing a group of Vivillon in person.

Equally impressed was Bonnie. Here was a person who such just as much passion in their interest, similar to her brother. There was no doubt she would make a great bride for Clemont one day. In fact why wait. Jumping around restlessly, "Viola, you're a keeper" she burst out towards the gym leader, resting on one knee. "Please take care of my brother, s'il vous plait" she proposed.

"Nene nene" her small electric type agreed with her.

Shauna and Serena's jaw hung wide open. Was Bonnie honestly proposing for her brother?

"Bonnie" Clemont burst out, blushing a deep red. "How many times have I told you to stop that" he let out, very annoyed by his sister's actions.

"Can't you see Clemont, she's perfect for you" Bonnie began explaining. "I can't take care of you forever, and Viola here is perfect as a wife" the small blonde did her best to convince her brother.

Meanwhile, everyone was slightly shocked by Bonnie's directness. She was already talking marriage. "This is so embarrassing" Clemont let's out. "Aipom arm activate" he pushes a button on the side of his back pack, extending the robotic arm. The device grabs his sister and pulls her away from the gym leader. The older brother begins walking away, needing to have a chat with his sister.

"I hope you'll think about it" Bonnie cheerfully lets out as she is being hauled away by the Aipom arm.

An awkward silence fills the room, as no one knew how to react to such a situation. Breaking the tension, Serena notices a small problem with one of the photos. "Is this a smudge or the picture itself?" Serena examined the picture up close. It was the slightest ever smudge, yet the Kalos teen happened to catch the defect.

"About that" Viola began. "A little boy wandered off one time and found his way here" the gym leader remembered that fateful day. "Long story short, his hands were all sticky, probably from eating candy. Anyway, he went around touching anything he could get his hands on and this picture just happened to be one of those things" Viola stated. It was that incident that caused her to put signs over the walls, telling others hands off the photos.

Judging by Viola's expressions, it was clear she was still upset over the whole ordeal. Luckily for her, Serena had a suggestion. "There is a way to prevent more dust from sticking to the sticky part and save this picture" she looked on, seeing a very simply fix. With Viola's permission, she put her plan into action. "The simple fix is simple cover the sticky area in clear tape" she applied the adhesive carefully.

Taking a closer look at her picture, Viola swiped the affected area. With the clear tape, it was as if the sticky substance has been cleaned. "This is amazing" she was rather impressed by the results. The gym leader has thought of numerous ways to mend the photo, but never thought of using something as simple as clear tape.

"This way, the sticky substance stays underneath while the top is nice and smooth, preventing anything from sticking to it" Serena commented.

To Shauna, this was another surprise about her friend. Serena wasn't a person that was known for her quick thinking and practical solutions. Yet here she was, show a professional photographer some tricks.

Satisfied by the results, Viola turns towards Ash. "Are you ready for your gym battle?" she asks the trainer.

Without hesitation, Ash and Pikachu respond. They have been waiting for their first gym battle for some time.

* * *

Enjoying an early dinner, Jessie, James, and Meowth were preparing to make a call. Since arriving in the Kalos Region, they have focused on setting up a base of operations after their failed attempt at capturing Pikachu once again. "Greetings from the Kalos Region" the trio answer the person on the other line.

"Oh boy, you three again" Giovanni sarcastically responds. "What pleasure do I have of seeing you three again?" he added. Although the trio have a talent for disrupting other organizations and their plans, they struggle with their own missions. However, Giovanni saw an opportunity with these three once again. They tend to travel to places were Team Rocket is nonexistent.

"Normally when we call, we always wait for your orders" James began.

"But this time, we decided to take charge and focus on expanding the Team Rocket name" Jessie added.

Normally when these three would call, they would usually ask for their next assignment or any form of instructions. "I'm listening" Giovanni showed interest in their ideas.

"We decided it's best to open up a Café style base of operations here in the Lumiose City" Meowth began explaining their grand plan. "Instead of employees, you can send over some Team Rocket members to fill every needed position to run a café while we gather information about the Kalos region" the normal type explained. Although he had much more to add, their leader interrupted him.

"Hmm, hiding in plain sight, I like that" Giovanni began thinking of the possibilities. With a Team Rocket themed café, they can openly walk around without raising too many alarms. Normally this would raise red flags anywhere else, but since Lumiose City was well known for their fancy and wild themed cafés, this was an opportunity. "What kind of information do you three plan on gathering?" Giovanni wanted every detail.

"Cafés are a popular hang out spots for various kinds of people, including those in the elite four" James responded, taking a bite out of his croissant. After wandering around Lumiose City, the normal type took notice in the amount of high profile people casually entering these kinds of places. "We can get all kinds of information out of them" he added, not too sure himself what they could truly gather.

For once, the trio that would cause him numerous headaches actually had a plan that was well put together. "How soon can you have the café open?" the leader asked. The sooner the better in his opinion.

"We already have a location reserved for us" the purple-haired team rocket member stated. Although they wanted to wait for Giovanni's approval, the sooner they began, the sooner they could start gathering information.

For once, it was refreshing to hear some great news from the trio. "I want this place open by tomorrow, I'll send over some people to help make it happen and fill in positions as well" Giovanni sternly replied. After seeing the news about Lumiose City under attack from people in orange suits, he figured this was probably some secret organization after something big.

"We'll make it happen" the three were nearly cheering. Their leader was actually giving them full support of their plans.

With the call ended, the three celebrate to enjoy a newfound support. "You hear that, the boss is actually going to help us on this one" Meowth stated.

"This is only the beginning" James raised a fist in the air. One thing however was off. "Where did my Croissant go?" he was looking for his missing snack.

* * *

Back in Santalune City, Ash was ready to face off against the gym leader. Standing across from Viola on his side of the field, he listens to the rules of the battle from the ref. "This will be a 2 on 2 battle, only the trainer is allowed substitutions" the ref clearly explained the rules.

Hearing how he would only be allowed to use two Pokémon, Ash knew his electric type would not like his plan. He intended to win his first badge using Pikachu, but he also wanted to test out Fletchling's and Froakie's current strength. "Come on out buddy" Ash released his Charizard, surprising everyone. Normally the gym leader would be the first to reveal their Pokémon. "This is a two on two battle, so I want you and Pikachu to watch on the side" he briefly explained.

Although Pikachu wanted to protest, he figured his trainer had his own reasons behind his decision. Hesitantly, both him and Charizard stood along side their new friends to watch the battle.

Watching both of his powerhouse Pokémon stand alongside them, the group of friends were rather confused by Ash. Did he intend to win with newly caught Pokémon?

"I must say Ash, it seems you already have a team in mind from the looks of it" Viola noted. "Well here's my first in my team" she released Surskit from its Pokéball.

Although she never mentioned it, Ash had a feeling the gym leader used bug types. The clue was the fact that she had pictures of various photos of bug types when they saw all her pictures. "Come on out Fletchling" Ash let out his first Pokémon as well.

"A flying type is an excellent choice against a bug type like Surskit" Clemont noted. Apart from having the type advantage, he could freely fly around. He wonders if Ash would've chosen the flying type even if he wasn't battling against bug types.

"The challenger may have the first move" the ref announced.

"Let's start this off with Razor Wind" Ash was the first to issue a command.

With the attack rushing towards the bug type, Viola had a way to avoid attacks with ease. "Time to turn the field into ice" she countered.

Surskit evaded the attack simply by using Ice Beam on the field. Skating around as if it was on water, it took no time to convert the whole field into ice. "Now then, use Ice Beam on Fletchling" the blonde leader commanded.

Seeing the incoming attack, Ash figures this is the best time to test Fletchling's mobility in the air. "Dodge it" he commanded.

Sure enough, the Tiny Robin Pokémon maneuvered his way around the attack with ease. At least he was an experienced flyer. "Now go in with Steel Wing" he heard his trainer call out to him. With glowing wings, Fletchling chased after the bug type. Unfortunately, since the field's ground was iced over, Surskit could easily out maneuver it.

Quickly, Ash realized he would need to do something about the ice floor. Noticing how skinny Surskit's legs were, he figured an imperfection in the ice would be enough to disrupt its movement. "Try hitting it with Razor Wind again" he called out, hoping the attack could crack the ice.

Fletchling was beginning to doubt his trainer's judgement. A single attack he has ordered hasn't landed. Brute force must be his back up plan. Still, he was rather curious as to what the raven-haired teen had planned, if anything. He decided it was best to listen for the moment.

The flying type unleased a barrage of Razor Wind attacks as the bug type kept dodging. To most people observing, it seems Ash is simply throwing out attacks in hopes of hitting the evasive Surskit. "He sure is having a hard time dealing with Surskit's mobility" Shauna commented. It seems Ash needs more time to bond with his Pokémon before they have a chance at winning the badge.

Serena however had a much different opinion. "I'm sure he knows what he is doing" the Kalos teen defended her friend's battling. Although this is the first time she has seen him battle in person, she knew her friend enough to say he is unpredictable.

For a moment, Viola had the same thoughts as Shauna. Unleashing a barrage of attacks and hoping one hits won't win you the Bug Badge. "Use Sticky Web to trap Fletchling" the gym leader ordered.

Like Fletchling, Surskit unleashed multiple Sticky Web attacks in hope of catching the flying type.

"Circle around it" Ash countered. He was hoping his Pokémon wasn't too tired after the Razor Wind.

With the flying type circling around, the sticky substance would stick to anything it made contact with.

With everything set, Ash decides now is the time to make his plan known. "Go in low and use Peck" the teen said.

Fletchling swooped down low with a glowing beak, picking up speed as he headed towards the bug type.

As Viola was about to have Surskit dodge, she realized the ice was too damaged for the bug type to move around freely. " _Nice one_ " she told herself. She only wished she noticed sooner. "Use Signal Beam" the gym leader ordered, knowing this was her only option at the moment.

Lucky for Ash, the gym leader realized too late. "Do it Fletchling" Ash cheered on his Pokémon.

With his trainer by his side, Fletchling felt he could overcome any opponent. Rushing towards Surskit with a glowing beak, he slams into the bug type.

Being sent flying back by Fletchling, Surskit lands near its trainer, with swirly eyes. "Surskit is unable to battle, the challenger Ash wins the first round" the referee announces, confirming Fletchling's victory.

From the sidelines, their friend's victory was a surprise to say the least. Although they never doubted his strength, both Pikachu and Charizard were not participating in the battle. They figured Ash would need some time training with his Pokémon before they could come up with a strategy for victory.

Recalling her fainted Pokémon, the gym leader must admit she was rather impressed. "Ash" she calls out to her opponent. "For a moment there, I doubted your skills as a trainer" she admitted. "However I can see that you are a rather talented trainer" she complimented. If anything, she figured Ash was working with newly caught Pokémon, which made it all the more impressive. "Let's see how you hold up against Vivillon" she let out her next Pokémon.

The teen was about to get Fletchling's Pokéball to give him some rest. "Fletch Fletch" the flying type restlessly let out.

"You want to keep battling?" the trainer asked.

Fletchling nodded. He felt he could win the badge for his trainer with his help. After all, with his trainer's unpredictable battling style and his own mobility, they should be able to take care of the other bug type as well.

"Only because you asked" Ash said. He would prefer his flying type rest, since he figured he might be exhausted from all those Razor Wind attacks. But if he could continue, he would let him battle.

"The gym leader may have the first move" the referee announced.

Rather surprised that Ash has decided to keep Fletchling out on the field, she starts off the second round. "Let's start this off with Gust" Viola says.

Vivillon begins flapping its wings. A great deal of wind picks up. With Vivillon also being a flying type, it can control the direction of the Gust attack.

"Ride the wind Fletchling" Ash calls out, hoping his Pokémon could handle the high speed winds.

Fortunately for Ash, Fletchling does just that with ease. Using his tail, he can control the direction of his flight while remaining in place due to the gust.

Expecting the trainer to fall into her trap, "now use Silver Wind" the gym leader calls out.

Along with the gust of wind, powdery scales were added to the mix. "Quick, cut through it with Steel Wing" the kanto trainer countered.

With glowing wings once again, Fletchling did his best to remain in place. However fatigue set in as he was being pushed back. Losing distance, the flying type finally gives in to his exhaustion. To make matters worse, he was caught in the Sticky Web from his previous battle.

"Try to use Razor Wind" the trainer hoped his Pokémon would be able to break free.

Seeing her opponent struggle to break free, Viola decides its time to end the battle. "Let's finish this with Signal Beam" the gym leader cried out.

The bug type unleashed a green beam directly at its opponent.

With the incoming attack closing the distance, Fletchling prepared himself for the impact. Unfortunately, the force of the attack plus his exhaustion left him with little resistance. "Ling" the Tiny Robin Pokémon cried out in a whisper.

"Fletchling is unable to battle, Vivillon wins this round" the referee calls the battle.

With his Pokémon unable to continue, Ash recalls Fletchling into its Pokéball. "You did great out there, now take a nice rest" Ash told his resting Pokémon. Truth be told, the flying type was much stronger than Ash had anticipated. Thanks to Fletchling's strength, he has managed to figure out some his opponents attacks, giving a great advantage going into the battle with his next Pokémon. "Froakie, I choose you" he reveals his second Pokémon.

"I know Froakie is strong and all, but how will it navigate the ice field, much less reach Vivillon for an attack" Clemont noted, seeing no way his friend could win with such a disadvantage.

The other three also agreed with their blonde friend. He first damaged the ice to disrupt Surskit, now it seems to have back fired, assuming Froakie could navigate his way around the field.

One thing they noticed however was Ash, more specifically, his expression. The teen looked more than ready for his next battle. Reflecting that attitude was Froakie. They couldn't explain it, but it was as if a blue aura surrounded the two. It was as if they were connected to each other. As if they wanted a greater challenge.

From Viola's perspective, normally she would think Ash made a poor choice in Pokémon. The ice field was nearly impossible to navigate due to the damage it took. Vivillon however didn't rely on the ground's condition, therefore that wasn't an issue with her. On the other hand, Froakie was limited to the ground, as he couldn't fly. However, Ash has proven to be unreadable. She shouldn't let her guard down simply because the odds were in her favor.

"The challenger may have the first move" the referee announced.

"Let's start this with Water Pulse" the teen commanded.

Leaping up a great distance, Froakie launches and orb of water at his opponent.

The obvious course of action would be to avoid the attack. "Dodge it" the older woman has the bug type move out of harm's way. Thinking quickly, she should have an easier time to deal with the water type if he was unable to move. "Push it towards a Sticky Web with Gust" she ordered.

Unfortunately for her, this is exactly what Ash wanted. "Stick your frubbles to the Sticky Web" he shouted.

Froakie listened and obeyed quickly. In the short time he has spent with his trainer, he has learned to trust his trainer's judgement. His creativity and unpredictable nature made him a unique trainer with a unique battling style.

With the sticky substance cover in Froakie's white foam, the water type managed to land on the Sticky Web without getting stuck himself. "Think you can move while up there?" Ash asks his Pokémon.

Froakie moves around freely to prove he is still able to move around with ease.

Once again, Ash managed to impress the gym leader. She has never seen anyone use her Surskit's Sticky Web to there advantage. It's almost as if Ash had an answer to anything she could throw out him. Looking around, Sticky Web littered the top half of the field, to the point where Froakie could freely move around as if he were a flying type. Suddenly, the ice field didn't matter once again.

"Wow, this guy is unbelievable" Shauna complemented. She could only imagine how much different the battle would be if Charizard or Pikachu were there.

"Yipee Ash, now attack attack attack" Bonnie cheered for her friend. His display of creativity erased any lingering doubts they had about his battling.

To Serena however, something about that strategy Ash came up with seems awfully familiar. Although she herself has never battled, the idea itself was similar to something she had a hard time remembering.

Back to the battle, Viola had one more trick up her sleeve. "Now Vivillon, use Sleep Powder" she ordered.

The bug type aimed spores at the water type that would cause it to sleep. "Jump to the next Sticky Web" Ash said. Thankfully, there were plenty of webs to choose from, making Froakie's mobility useful.

As the water type hopped from one web to another, it was clear that something would need to be done before the whole arena was covered in the Sleep Powder. One thing the teen noticed was how close Vivillon was to the ground. "Froakie, use Water Pulse on the ground as hard as you can" the trainer had a plan.

Unsure what an attack on the ground would accomplish, Froakie knew it was best to trust his trainer. He has managed to surprise their opponents every chance he had.

Water Pulse made contact with the ice ground, cause shards of ice to fly in every direction. Surprisingly, the shards flying in the air had enough force to be felt by Vivillon.

"Vivi" the bug type complained. Being very weak to ice, it felt the impact of the attack, despite it not being a direct ice type attack.

"Well I'll be, Ash does it again" Clemont pointed out. "Since the ice was cracked and damaged, there wasn't much that needed to be done to send the ice flying everywhere" he explains, hoping to clear up any confusion the group may have.

Seeing Vivillon's speed slow down considerably, this was his chance for a major attack. "Froakie, use Pound on Vivillon" Ash said.

Froakie began jumping from Sticky Web to Sticky Web, picking up speed with every bounce. Planning his angle of attack, Froakie bounces from one last Sticky Web with a glowing fist. "Frooookie" the water type lets out, attacking Vivillon with a rather strong normal type attack.

Vivillon slams into the ground, sending ice into the air once again. The shards fell in all directions, with some hitting the flying type. Unable to resist, Vivillon lays on the ground with swirly eyes. "Vivillon is unable to battle. This means the match goes to the challenger Ash" the referee announces the results of the battle.

"Alright, we did it" Ash cheered over his victory. Rushing to his side, Froakie also celebrates their victory.

Running towards their friend, the group also joins Ash in his celebration.

Recalling her Pokémon, Viola was more than impressed by the results of the battle. Sure she has been defeated plenty of times in the past by stronger trainers than Ash, but he displayed something much different than anyone she has faced before. "So what did you think sis?" she heard her older sister ask.

"Ash is a very unique trainer. But he more than deserves the badge" she commented. Satisfied by the results, there was only one thing left to do. "Congratulations on your win" she walks over to her opponent.

By now, Ash has released his Fletchling as well, to join in on the celebration. They watch as the gym leader and Alexa walk over towards them. "Thanks Viola, but I couldn't have done it without these two" he had both Froakie and Fletchling on his shoulders. Even Pikachu and Charizard were slightly jealous they weren't the ones to help their trainer defeat the gym leader.

"And with that win, here is your Bug Badge" she presented the badge to her opponent.

Taking the badge, Ash holds it up in victory. "We just won our Bug Badge" he poses. Joining him as well was Froakie and Fletchling. This was all a victory they would all share, as they all played their roles.

"One thing I have to know" Viola got Ash's attention. "How did you come up with Froakie's strategy?" she wondered how the trainer turned her attack against her.

Slightly blushing, Ash had some inspiration. "It was all thanks to Serena" he admits, getting her attention. "After seeing how she fixed your photo out there, it inspired me to do the same with Froakie" he admitted. "Thank you for that" he gave his friend the proper credit.

Slightly embarrassed, Serena looks to the ground. "It was nothing Ash" she whispered. Truth be told, in her mind, she wanted to shout out loud over the amount of pride she felt, knowing a simple trick she came up with was enough for her friend to win the Bug Badge.

"So where do you plan on going to next?" Viola was rather curious. Knowing a good bit of the gym leaders in the Kalos Region, there was no doubt Ash would impress every single one of them.

Ash pulls out a map. It was marked with gyms around the Kalos Region. He assumed he would've been traveling around by himself for a while and went ahead and bought a map of the region before leaving the airport. "It says here I have to go south before turning west to go to the Cyllage City Gym" he replied, earning himself blank stares from the group.

"Actually, Cyllage City is to the Northeast from here" Viola corrected the trainer. Looking at the map, she quickly figured out the problem. "I think you're reading it upside down" she says.

Taking a closer look at the writing rather than routes, Ash sees she was indeed correct. "No wonder it made no sense" he let out.

The group nearly fainted from Ash's cluelessness. "Ash never ceases to amaze us" Bonnie points out, earning a laugh from the group.

Putting Ash's unique navigation skills aside, Ash's victory, being a unique one indeed, Viola had to capture the moment. "If you all don't mind, can I get a picture of all of you?" she asked the group. There was no doubt their bonds could be seen even through photos.

Huddling up close together, the group pose for a picture. "Say cheese" Viola captures the moment.

* * *

"I have to say, you are a rather spirited trainer" a man in a hoodie admits. After defeating a Mega-Charizard, Mewtwo flies by his trainer's side.

Not one to take a loss lightly, the trainer recalls his Pokémon. "I'll just keep training until I'm strong enough to defeat you" a dark gray-haired teen lets out. His goal was to become the strongest mega evolution user around.

"I'll wait for you rematach whenever you're ready" he walks over to his opponent, extending his hand. "I'm Red by the way" he introduces himself.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Alain" the teen introduces himself as well.

* * *

 **Well there you have it. I plan to have the next chapter done either before or on Christmas. If not, I wish everyone a happy Christmas if I don't get a chance to say it. And what are your thoughts about the next Pokemon movie. I don't know about you, but to me, it seems that Ash is actually going to age for once. I'm pretty sure this will be something that is exclusive to the movies so I'm wondering what they plan to do with his character. That and since they are telling a completely different story through the movies, I wonder how many of them they are going to make. Anyway, it's time to read some messages from the readers.  
**

 **Colton Fox - I don't have any sequels planned so far for this story. But I do plan to finish it so anything can happen between here and when I come close to finishing this story.**

 **PersonaQeminod1 - I've thought about that once but too much reader input ruins a story. That's one of the main reasons why I ended up rewriting this story. And thanks for the early New Years greeting. I'll do my best to update at least two more times before then.**

 **Rajiv A Rajaram - Hey man, great to hear from you again. I tried to make seem a little dense but not too much in this chapter (the whole map ordeal). I still haven't quite decided how to handle Serena in this rewrite since I do want to do something different. Thankfully I have some time to experiment with her character between now and when I begin writing a chapter for her.**

 **ultimateCCC - By rebellious, I mean more of a "I do what I want attitude." It has nothing to do with Ash. But thanks for pointing out that confusion. I'll try to make it more clear when I write about Serena for the next chapters.**

 **Amourshiper35 - Thanks again for the support. I wouldn't completely call it a Serena focused chapter, since it is a split of this chapter as well. But I hope you'll like what I do next chapter with what seems to be your favorite character lol.**

 **supboyyyyy93 - Relax, there will be no Ash reset in this story if you're wondering that. I learned the hard way, that's a big no no with the readers lol. But thanks for the support and I hope to continue seeing you here.**

 **Well guys, I hope this was another exciting chapter for everyone. And once again, I'll do my best to update before Christmas as I want to get this story moving.**

 **Next Chapter: Shauna's Friends**

 **Until next time.**


	9. A Path For You and Me

**First thing is first, I hope everyone here has enjoyed your holidays. Happy New Year to everyone and I hope this year is better than the last for everyone single person reading this. That and thanks for joining me on this next chapter of the story. I do apologize for taking so long to update. I had family visiting during the holidays so I just took a break from writing. But now that it's a new year, time to begin writing again. So here goes the first chapter of 2018.**

* * *

 **A Path For You And Me**

Bright and early, it was a beautiful day to travel the Kalos Region. Taking advantage of the beautiful day, the group of friends take off on their short trip from Santalune City. After Ash's victory over Viola, they spent the night in the local Pokémon center. They figured it would be best to rest up and travel the next day.

Even though their trip to Lumiose City would only take half a day, they had some time to get to know each other better. Thankfully, Viola had given then a nice memento of their time together in the form of a photograph. Two people in particular however, stood apart from the rest. Or in their case, closer together than the rest.

"Is there any reason why you're so close to Ash?" Shauna questioned her friend. Since they all had a copy of the same photo, they could all appreciate it on their own. In Shauna's case, examine.

Taking a closer look, Serena noticed just how close she is to her friend. "Viola did say huddle in close together" she defended herself. Considering how Ash was in the center of the photo, she figured it would be best if they all were close to their friend. Either way, her constant assumptions were beginning to annoy her. At first, she was okay with the teasing, but now it was bothersome. If only she knew who her mystery friend was so she could return the favor.

Arriving in Lumiose City around midday, the group of friends spend a short amount of time deciding their best course of action. "Do you feel like trying to take on the Lumiose City gym again?" Ash asks the Pokémon resting on his shoulder.

Wanting to battle more than anything else, Pikachu nods. He has been itching to help his trainer earn a badge already. Unfortunately for him, that honor was given to Froakie and Fletchling in the last battle.

By now, Serena and Shauna also wanted to watch Ash take on another gym. Despite a battle being more or less about brute force, at least in their opinion, Ash battles with style and grace. It was something they greatly appreciated, considering the battle always had them trapped in a feeling of suspense.

Fortunately for Clemont and Bonnie, the other three failed to notice their worried expressions. The last thing they needed at the moment was to have their secret known to everyone. Even more good luck was with them when Ash's stomach began to growl. "My my, looks like we're all pretty hungry" Clemont commented, hoping to distract Ash's focus from attempting to battle the gym.

"Let's find a nice place to eat and we can talk about what to do there" Bonnie added. Her brother's secret was also her secret. Hopefully with her being the youngest of the group, they will at least take her suggestion in consideration.

Finally paying attention to his hunger, Ash gives in to Bonnie's idea. After all, he himself was a big fan of eating. He begins to wonder the kinds of food they serve in the Kalos Region. "Does anyone know a great place to eat?" Ash practically drooled, thinking of the delicious foods he could be trying at the moment.

Being most familiar with Lumiose City, Shauna offers to lead the way. There was a spot she would hang out with when she was around her friend. Thankfully this place was somewhere anybody could go without worrying about prices.

* * *

Working on opening the Rocket Café, as the classic rocket trio named it, they received a rather large package. "You're the guys Giovanni sent, right?" Meowth asks, needing confirmation from the group of people who arrived.

The group of people nod their heads. They were all part of Team Rocket. "There's more coming in a bit" the grunt at the front of the group added.

"Awe perfect, we could use some more help" Meowth said, dividing the tasks at hand evenly between all the grunts. With more coming, they should be able to open the café by tonight.

With the crews working tirelessly, the place was coming together at a rapid pace. "Over here, we will build a stage for Karaoke" Jessie directed her share of the grunts. While many would question the idea of having a stage for karaoke, the more realistic the illusion of a legitimate café, the easier it will be for them to hide in plain sight.

"Uhh hey fellas, come check this out" James called the attention of both Meowth and Jessie.

Walking over towards the blue haired man, they see a trapdoor with stairs leading to a path underneath the building. "Any ideas where this leads to?" James wonder aloud. Obviously his two partners wouldn't know either.

"It's a bit dark, how about we get some light" Jessie struggled to see into the path. There was no way she would explore without being able to see. She has learned her lesson plenty of times in the past.

"Help up out Inkay" James let out his newly caught Pokémon. Thankfully the dark type was able to light the dark room.

Unfortunately, the sight before them only added fear rather than take some of it away. "What's with all these skeletons?" Jessie cried out. She hopes she wouldn't join them any time soon.

"Wobbuffet" Jessie's psychic type released itself from its Pokéball, nearly having everyone jump out of their skin.

"Do that again, and I'll leave you down here" Jessie recalled her Pokémon, doing her best to control her breathing.

"Talk about skeletons in the closet" Meowth commented, after calming down somewhat. Normally he would move any sort of obstacle out of the way, but the fact that there was nothing but skeletons as far as the eye can see, it would be best to leave the remains in places. That and he would risk the chance of disturbing any ghost Pokémon, if any lived there.

Having searched for some relevant information, James found something of interest on his tablet. "It says here this place is called the Lumiose Catacombs" he stated. "This place was used to leave the remains of people from a war here in the Kalos Region, centuries ago" he explained. "While now it has been sealed off to the public, every now and then, people do find entrances that lead to other places here in the city" he finished reading.

It was obvious, finding an unsealed entrance to the catacombs would become useful. With the ability to quickly travel from one point to another undetected, they could easily get to where they needed in the city without drawing attention to themselves. "Let's send a crew to map out the place" Meowth said, closing the door to the entrance.

* * *

Leaving the café, satisfied by their meal, the group of friend head towards Professor Sycamore's lab. Ash needed to return the Pokémon he was given to have Serena pick as her starter. Serena also wanted to thank the professor personally. Once again, both Clemont and Bonnie would let out a sigh of relief. At least they wouldn't have to mislead their friends again.

With Professor Sycamore's lab being a short distance away, conveniently, the group took no time at all to arrive there. The first thing Ash noticed were the doors. "Looks like the professor fixed the doors…sort of" he saw the doors hanging on by a few screws.

They knock on the doors cautiously, due to their insecurity over the damaged door falling over. Hearing a creaking sound and watching the doors move on their own, the group stand back. Looks like its falling over. "Oh hey there everyone, please excuse these doors" Professor Sycamore greeted them, opening the doors himself. There is a certain way they needed to be opened and closed to avoid falling over.

Once everyone was inside, they all returned the greeting. "I see the door is now hanging on by a thread" Ash comments. Taking a closer look, they see the damage is much more than just the doors. Since the doors were blown off, the wall holding it in place was crumbling as well.

The professor explains he has people working on a fix. For now however, they will remain the way they are.

"Hey professor" Serena gets the older man's attention. "Thank you for giving me my starter" Serena showed her gratitude. She would also like to thank her for reuniting her with an old friend of hers, but that is best left unsaid.

Hearing his friend thank the professor for giving her a starter, Ash remembers, he needs to return the other two Pokémon. Taking out the cylinder holding the other two Pokémon, Ash hands them over to the older man.

The professor releases the other two Pokémon. "I see you have chosen Fennekin as your starter" Professor Sycamore noted.

With that, Serena releases her Fennekin as well. "I sure have, we're going to become great friends, aren't we Fennekin?" Serena pats her fire type on the head.

"Kin" the starter leaps into her arms, wagging its tail.

Observing the bond the two are slowly forming, its clear Serena has picked a perfect partner. "I wish you two the best of luck" the professor says. One question however is nagging at the professor. "You're the daughter of the great Rhyhorn Racer Grace, is that your goal?" Professor Sycamore was curious about her goals.

"Actually, we still haven't decided what we want to do yet?" she gave a shy response, referring to herself and Fennekin. Her main reason for traveling was to explore the region with Shauna.

Thankfully, Shauna was also in the same situation. "Well, we are planning on traveling the Kalos Region to find something to work towards" Shauna added. At least, that was their original plan. With Ash in the picture, who knows if that has changed.

Before they had a chance to continue, another knock was coming from the door. "I'll get it" the professor walked towards the crumbling entrance. Normally he would let anyone answer. Since the entrance was damaged however, he preferred to answer, mainly to avoid any injuries. "Oh hey you two, thanks for coming" the professor led two teenage guys inside his lab.

Before even having the chance to greet them, Shauna immediately recognizes the twins. "Hey Calem, hey Salem" she casually walks over towards them, forgetting who was currently present. Seeing her friend Calem would always brighten up her day in an instant.

Looking at the twins, the group see they are nearly the same appearance wise. One of them was dressed in a simple lavender button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black pants and black sneakers. The other twin however was a bit more dressed up. He wore khaki pants with a button down white shirt. Over it, a black sweater covered the shirt so only the white shirt's collar was visible. Both had the same facial appearance and black hair. By the initial appearance, it was easy to see the two were quite different, despite being each other's look alike.

Serena however noticed the change in Shauna's mood. Throughout the day she was neutral for the most part. They would have their normal conversation as usual. With the arrival of her two friends, she seemed closer to Calem than the other twin. Suddenly, the gears in Serena's mind began to turn. This must be her friend she has been hiding for so long. "Geez Shauna, you could at least introduce me to your friends before ignoring me" she walks over towards the trio. Unfortunately for the Kalos native, this plan backfired nearly in an instant.

While the less dressed twin always liked to meet new people, the other had a unique way of approaching people he liked. Seeing a beauty he has never thought possible, Salem admires the stranger that wishes to know them. For once, being friends with Shauna actually brought them good fortune for once. And here he was believing Shauna was simply after the other twin for his status in the Kalos Region. "There's no need for it Shauna" he cut in front of his friend. "My name is Salem" he went straight for Serena's hand. "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting today" he kneeled to one, attempting to kiss the back of her hand.

Frozen for a moment, the blonde teen was unsure of what to do. She didn't want to be rude and snatch her hand away rapidly, but at the same time this was a little too much. Even Tierno's declarations of love weren't this direct. "Uhm, I'm Serena" she slowly pulled her hand, sheepishly scratching the back of her head.

Although Salem quickly figured he was rejected, he refused to give up so easily. While the dressed up twin was doing his best to win over Serena, the rest of the group noticed how uncomfortable the teen was. She was doing her best to kindly let Salem down, but he was too persistent.

Having seen enough, Pikachu decides to do something about the situation. He runs to Serena's shoulders, hoping to comfort her as best as he can.

"Aww this Pikachu must be yours" the twin stated, not paying attention to where it came from. Slowly walking towards the electric type, he attempts to gently pat Pikachu on the head. He figured if he got along with her Pokémon, getting to Serena would be much easier.

It was clear to the electric type what the twin's intentions were. He was having none of it. "Pikaaaa" he began to let out sparks from his cheeks.

With Pikachu being very protective of his trainer, Salem decides to back off for the time being. Looks like he would slowly need to work his way towards Serena if he wanted to get past the hostile Pokémon.

Watching his brother, Calem simply sighed out of disappointment. Once again, his twin manages to push someone away by being too direct. Only now however, there was an angry electric type, ready to zap him.

Serena was slightly uncomfortable with the fact that Pikachu was letting out sparks while standing on her shoulder. Still, at least it was keeping Salem away, which she greatly appreciated. Either way, Serena made a mental note to properly thank Pikachu when she got the chance.

"Come on Pikachu, that's enough" Ash scolded his starter. It wasn't necessary to threaten anyone, despite how uncomfortable Serena appeared at the time.

Hearing his trainer's voice, the small electric type ran back to his usual resting spot. It was obvious someone needed to do something about the snobby teen talking to his friend. Thankfully he was able to save his trainer, or anyone else for that matter, the trouble of a confronting the arrogant twin.

Observing the yellow Pokémon run back towards another trainer, Salem hadn't noticed the other teen nearby. He appeared to be the same age as him and his brother. Perhaps this was Pikachu's trainer instead of Serena as he originally thought. Either way, his Pokémon was the reason as to why he was unable to continue talking to Serena.

"I'm Ash, sorry about Pikachu there" the Kanto teen gently smiled while extending his arm out. He would need to have a talk with Pikachu later, that's for sure.

In his mind, Salem wondered if this guy truly knew who he was. "Whatever" he shook his hand as well, giving Ash the cold shoulder. "And who are your other friends" he turns towards Shauna, asking about the siblings.

Shocked by the twin's rude greeting, she shakes off his immature attitude. "This is Clemont and Bonnie" she introduced the siblings to the twins. Calem warmly greeted the siblings, Ash, and Serena. Salem meanwhile greeted the pair the same as his brother. Ignoring Salem's rather awkward greeting for the moment, the group continue to introduce themselves to the other twin.

"Hey Calem, you said you decided you're going to take compete in this year's Kalos League, right?" Shauna asked. She already knew the answer, but she was hoping she could help start a friendly rivalry between her friend and Ash.

The two trainers gave each other a stare. There was an unspoken rule. When two trainer's eyes meet, it was common courtesy to battle.

"There's a space perfect for battling" the professor said, knowing the two would eventually battle. Without wasting time, the two follow the professor leading the way.

Standing on opposite ends of the improvised field, the two trainers know there is a lot to learn from each other with a simple battle. That and this is also a great way to forge a stronger bond with your Pokémon. "Froakie, I choose you" Ash let out his Pokémon first. He wanted to show the professor just how close they have grown in the short time they have known each other.

From the sides, Salem laughed at Ash's choice. Clearly this guy would be at a severe disadvantage, considering who Calem would probably use.

"Let's go Quilladin" the Kalos teen revealed his Pokémon. From the start, if anyone where to only pay attention to the type advantage, Calem clearly had the lead. However, how he would use that advantage was up to him.

"Ash doesn't stand a chance" Salem laughed. He still couldn't get over the fact that his Pikachu was responsible for disrupting his chances with Serena. Hopefully with Ash losing, that should embarrass him in front of the blonde he was after.

"I wouldn't be quick to count Ash out just yet" Clemont responded. "Ash is very unpredictable to the point of type advantage doesn't matter to him" he briefly explained. Watching the battle should do a much better job of explaining what he just said.

Meanwhile, Serena finally had some time to get revenge on her brunette friend. "So Calem is this secret friend you have been hiding from us all these years" Serena nudged her friend. It was her turn to enjoy the over reactions Shauna would express.

"I only kept him hidden to not blow his identity" Shauna said, unable to reveal her friend's true identity. It's not like the guy was some superhero with an alter ego. He just preferred to keep a low profile, considering his status in the Kalos Region and his personal safety. "Besides, shouldn't you be cheering for your boyfriend instead of trying to get revenge?" Shauna reversed Serena's plan against her.

"Boyfriend?" she began to question back. Serena wasn't about to let Shauna get the upper hand. "I'm not the one hiding a guy secret for years now" she pointed out. Despite whatever her excuse may be, she doubts its anything as serious as she made it to be.

Not wanting to argue with her friend, Shauna did something Serena hasn't tried. Give her the silent treatment. Instead, she went on to focus on the battle.

"Battle begin" Professor Sycamore started the battle.

"Let's start this off with Bubble" Ash was the first to make his move.

The water type unleashed a barrage of bubbles, hoping to hit the grass type.

Despite being a slow Pokémon to begin with, Calem knew that bubble had the potential to slow down their target. He figures Ash may be trying to slow down his Pokémon. "Counter it with Seed Bomb" the twin said. This was his first battle with Ash, he wanted to win against their first encounter.

With one of the attacks being able to keep Froakie out of range for close range attacks, Ash figures that is his best option at the moment. "Go in using Pound" the trainer states.

It was easy to see that Ash was simply testing the waters as the saying goes. "Intercept with Bite" Calem had his grass type respond.

Quilladin caught Froakie's attack in his mouth. Unfortunately for Calem, Ash had it all planned out. "Now use Bubble" the Kanto teen continued with his attack.

Unfortunately for Ash, Calem was also well prepared for the counter. "Use Vine Whip to lift him up" the Kalos teen responded.

As Froakie was about to unleash a barrage of bubbles, Quilladin used his vines to raise the water type and turn the attack away from him.

"Does Ash serious think he will win with such a weak strategy?" Salem said, almost as if he was expecting absolute victory from his twin.

Although the way Ash was battling was quite different than what they witnessed with Viola, Bonnie knew her friend was unpredictable. "He may look like he doesn't know what he is doing, but just keep watching" Bonnie smiled, having confidence in her friend.

Turning back to see the battle, Salem sees that Quilladin has slammed the water type on the ground, while repeatedly attacking with its vines. _"It shouldn't be long before Calem wins"_ he thought to himself.

Seeing how Calem tends to battle in a counteroffensive manner, Ash comes up with an attack to lure his opponent. "Now Froakie, use Water Pulse on Quilladin" he has his water type attack his opponent.

The Kalos teen knew Ash was up to something. However he would need to figure it out as he continues to battle. "Use Rollout to dodge" Calem has his Pokémon evade the attack.

With the attack missing its target, Ash was trying to use the field to his advantage. Like he did when battling Viola, he intended to make the battle field impossible for his opponent to use without him realizing until it was too late. "Now use Bubble" he had the water type switch attacks.

Still unable to figure out Ash's strategy, Calem sees an opening. He would take a gamble, as he was unsure if he was falling into a trap. "Quick, use Seed Bomb" Calem said.

While in its Rollout attack, Quilladin unleashed its grass type attack. Somehow, it managed to aim the Seed Bomb directly at Froakie and hit.

"Frooo" the water type fell back in pain. The attack was rather effective, considering its type advantage.

Somehow, Froakie managed to withstand the super effective attack. "Ready for this again?" Ash asks his Pokémon.

Froakie prepares himself, standing up. He wasn't going to let type disadvantage play a role in the outcome of the battle. "Froakie" the water type lets out, signaling he has just started.

"Let's do this" Ash is fired up.

While battling Ash, Calem sees something quite surprising about Ash and Froakie. As the battle dragged on, the two were more and more into it. It's as if they wanted to continue battling, despite their disadvantages. Taking a closer look, the Kalos teen sees a blue aura flare up between Ash and Froakie. It's as if the two's feelings were synchronized.

Even Salem took note of the change in mood. Like his brother, he saw the blue aura that both Ash and Froakie gave off. To the untrained eye, it would appear as if Froakie's ability, Torrent, activated. However, the trainer normally doesn't have the ability to use Torrent either.

"Froakie, go in and use Pound" Ash said.

With Calem distracted, he failed to notice the incoming water type.

"Quill" the grass type cried out in pain, finally gaining his trainer's attention.

"Sorry about that Quilladin" Calem apologized. Looks like Froakie hits much harder while in this state. "Use Seed Bomb" the trainer was hoping to hit Froakie again.

"Use Pound again" Ash said, confident his Pokémon could get in close, without taking a hit.

As the water type approached his opponent, a glowing shape appeared in his hands. With the object made out of some strange energy in his hands, he cut through the incoming Seed Bomb attack, as if nothing was there.

"Now use Water Pulse" Ash called out, with the water type in point blank range.

"Frooooakie" the Bubble Frog Pokémon unleashed his attack.

"Quilladin" Calem yelled out. He could only hope his Pokémon would withstand such an attack.

Salem had to admit, Ash did indeed surprise him. Although the battle wasn't officially over, it was obvious who would win. "Quilladin is unable to battle, Ash and Froakie win" he heard the professor announce the final results. Despite having a negative view of Ash, he had to admit, the trainer was unpredictable as Clemont mentioned. Taking a look at his crush, Serena, Salem could clearly see she was paying close attention to Ash. "Looks like I have a rival too" Salem sighed.

With the battle over the group approached the two trainers. The two complimented each other in a wonderful battle. "Well nice going Ash, you convinced me" Salem turned toward the Kanto teen, getting his attention. "After watching this battle, I can see that you will be a worthy rival for my brother" he compliments the teen. Although he still has a slightly negative view of Ash, he had to give the trainer credit for doing, what in his mind, was the impossible.

Ash returned a cheeky grin. "What about you though?" the trainer questioned. He liked battling Calem. If the other twin is anything like his brother, surely he could have two rivals.

Salem took a glance at Serena. He returned his eyes back towards Ash. He made no effort to hide his actions. "Of course we'll be rivals" he said aloud. Clearly however, the group knew what he was implying by rivals.

Without hesitation, "I won't lose" Ash responded.

Much to Serena's surprise, the very thought of Ash fighting Salem for her was more than enough embarrass the teen. "Gee Serena, save some for the rest of us" Shauna teased her friend.

"Shut up" she quickly fired back.

"I'll see you two at the Kalos League" Ash said to the twins. Clearly he thought Salem meant something else.

The group had some trouble understanding Ash. Did Salem's implications go over his head? "Well at least he is focused on his goals" Shauna did her best to look at the glass half full.

Hanging out for some time, night fall has finally set in. "As always professor, it's always a pleasure to visit" Calem let out. He always found something new at the lab, and it never disappointed. "Anyway professor, I'll have someone over tomorrow to fix this door way" he stated.

As if on cue, the damaged wall collapsed entirely. "Oh shoot" Professor Sycamore laughed. At least he didn't need to worry about the demolition work now.

Shauna, along with Salem and Calem were preparing to leave. "So Serena, are you going to come with us or have you decided where to go yet?" the brunette questioned. In fact, they haven't even discussed their traveling plans, something they meant to do earlier in the day.

With all eyes on Serena, she nervously mumbled. "Uhmm, I'm not quite sure" she looked down. She made it this far and had no plans. She figured something would've come up by now.

"If I may" Salem began. "Travel with us, I can promise you an experience of a lifetime" the teen offered. He figured if Serena agreed, he could win her over after spending some time with him.

The blonde teen was still unsure of the offer. She wanted to continue traveling with Ash, but she didn't want to be pushy. Unless anything changed, she would try to meet up with Trevor and Tierno if nothing else. "Well I" she let out before being interrupted by Ash.

"Why don't you come with us" the Kanto teen let out. It would be great fun to get to know his childhood friend, all over again.

Both Bonnie and Clemont were happy Ash threw out an offer. With someone else joining them on their journeys, they had more chances to create great memories. "Yes, come with us" Bonnie ran up to the teen, holding her wrist. "It will be lots of fun traveling together" she smiled. The thought of Serena being around permanently was more than enough reason to celebrate.

"I think that's a great idea" Clemont added. Seeing how Serena and Bonnie got along, there is no doubt they would become great friends as time goes by. Not only that, Bonnie can enjoy the experience of having an older sister figure around.

"You also helped me out with that last gym battle" Ash admitted. In all honesty, the Kanto native finds inspiration in anything. "And it would be great to travel with someone I was once close to again" the teen calmly said. After remembering how great it was to have Serena as a friend, he wanted her around so they could become great friends once again.

The Kalos native was surprised to say the least. The thought has never occurred to her until just recently, but she would love to travel with Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie. Although it shouldn't matter, the best part is she was warmly invited by the three of them. "Sure" she winked at the group. "How could I say no after all that" she smiled. She was pulled by Bonnie towards their group. It wasn't anything too big, but to Serena, it meant the world to her.

"Don't worry bro, there will be others for you later" Calem did his best to cheer up his brother. Little did he realize, Salem had other ideas.

"It's not over just yet" Salem replied. Until anything was official, he still had a shot, at least in his mind.

Shauna sighed out of annoyance. Although Serena has yet to be honest with her true feelings, its obvious to her that the twin after her friend had no chance. "Well looks like you should let your mom know about the changes in our traveling plans" Shauna walked over towards the group. After saying their good byes to the group, Shauna left with the twins.

Once outside Professor Sycamore's Lab, the twins, along with Shauna, began heading towards Camphrier Town. One thing about battling Ash bothered Calem however. He wondered if the other two saw it as well. "This may sound a little crazy, but did any of you notice something odd about Ash when we were battling" he asked, hoping he wouldn't seem nitpicky.

Sure enough, the other twin noticed it as well. "You mean an aura between him and Froakie" Salem began wondering that as well.

Although Shauna hadn't seen it herself earlier in the day, she felt as if she has seen it during his gym battle. "I was hoping I wasn't the only one seeing things" Shauna added. At least she could rest easy, knowing she isn't losing her mind.

Hearing the other two confirm his suspicions, Calem began wondering about the legend that was passed down through his family for generations. "Do you believe the legends are actually true?" he began questioning. If they were, it seems Ash was the focus of the legends this time around.

"As much as I hate to admit it, we may need to get the Ninja Village to look into this" Salem supported his brother's question. Although he still had a negative view on Ash, mainly due to him trying to win over Serena, he still had his duties to tend to.

"I have a feeling something interesting is about to happen" Shauna repeated Serena's favorite saying. She found it hard to believe her friend's predictions were usually correct. And here she was thinking it was something Serena would constantly say out of the blue.

At Professor Sycamore's lab, Clemont offered Ash and Serena a place to spend the night, considering he lived in Lumiose City. After agreeing to sleep at the siblings' place, Serena had a call to make before they could head over towards Clemont's for the night.

* * *

"I hope she isn't too mad at me" Serena thinks to herself. She had Fennekin by her side. Having her Pokémon next to her was somehow comforting, despite not meeting too long ago. Seeing her mom pop up on the screen, Serena sighed. Here goes nothing. "Hey mom, nice to see you" she smiled. Hopefully her mom wouldn't be too angry.

"Hey Serena, how's it been" her mother asked. Quickly however, Grace figured her daughter called for some reason. She normally wouldn't be in an overly cheerful mood when calling.

"Good thanks for asking" she replied. Its now or never in her mind. "So I decided to travel with Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie" she blurted out, mentally kicking herself. She meant to have a nice small chat before giving her mom the news.

"Well what happened to Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno" the mother asked, waiting to hear a little more details before intervening. "I thought you were going to meet up with them" she reminded her daughter.

One thing Serena hated was never being decisive. She took too long to make choices. By the time she had finally picked an option, the opportunity was gone. Not this time however. "Remember the talk we had before I left home" the blonde gained her mother's attention. "I want you to know I made this decision because I believe it is what's best for us two" she motioned towards her starter Pokémon.

To Grace, this conversation was a bit more interesting than she could've imagined. "Why's that?" she wanted to know more.

She would hate to admit it, but there was only one reason why. "I don't have a goal to work towards" she admitted. The whole reason for leaving was to find something she would love to work for. "I feel that travel with Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie will actually help me find a goal" she stated. Seeing how driven Ash is, how caring Clemont it, and how free-spirited Bonnie is, she is bound to find something she enjoys, simply being around them.

Grace wasn't too surprised her daughter had no idea what she wanted in life. It was obvious the moment she decided to travel the Kalos Region. "Well sweetie, I think its great you want to find a goal to work for" Grace began replying. She knows her daughter more than Serena knew. "I just wanted to make sure you know what this journey is about" she added.

Serena was shocked to say the least. She was expecting her mother to demand her return home. "So I can travel the Kalos Region with them?" she asked, wanting a solid answer.

The older woman laughed. Despite Serena's rebellious attitude, she was a sweet daughter when she wanted to be. "Enjoy your journey Serena, and I'll be rooting for you all the way" she reassured the blonde.

"Thanks mom, I knew I can trust you with anything" she joyfully let out. Having her mother's support meant the world to her. "You hear that Fennekin, looks like we're going to make lots of friends" she nearly cheered.

It was rare to see her daughter this happy. Always being home wasn't going to get her anywhere. With Serena being as cheerful as she was at the moment, Grace decided to tease her daughter a bit. "Of course, I'll be waiting for the day you and Ash make me a grandmother" she teased. That's just one perk of being a mother.

Serena instantly turned towards her mother. There was an obvious blush across her face that she made no effort to hide. "Mom, it isn't like that between us" she sternly replied. Besides, why would her mom say something like that.

"I'm just joking" she laughed at her daughter's expense. "Anyway, I hope you enjoy your journey" she said her goodbye to the blonde.

After the conversation with her mom, Serena only had one goal in mind. "Let's go Fennekin, we need to find our path as well" she was more determined than ever to find her calling in life.

* * *

At the Rocket Café, members of Team Rocket were surfacing from the trap door below. "Did you guys find anything?" James greeted his partners while helping them up.

Earlier in the day, the rocket trio sent a group of Team Rocket members to explore underground. Thankfully they had the bright idea of mapping the area. "We found a few places of interest such as entrances near a lab, cafés, and the Prism Tower" the grunt began showing him a map.

Meowth studies the map carefully. "It seems like ya ran into some obstacles" he noticed how close the Prism Tower was to them. Surely they wouldn't have taken so much time If the map was accurate.

"The Prism Tower has very tight security on the inside" the grunt mentions. They were attack by a Magneton and Magnemite before running into a strange robot. "There were also some people in orange suits claiming to be security" he added. "But it seems like they were lying as they were unable to get passed the security themselves" he reported his observations.

To Team Rocket, the Prism Tower was becoming a point of interest. There had to be some sort of significance to the tower if it was well guarded. "First thing tomorrow morning, we go in and explore the Prism Tower ourselves" Meowth began planning.

* * *

 **Well guys, I hope this first chapter of 2018 was a good one for you. To me, I felt I could've done a lot better. I could've done a better job introducing both Calem and Salem. By the way, for anyone wondering, Calem in this story is the same protagonist from the X and Y games. Unlike the original, I decided to make his brother a twin (Lazy writing I know right lol). As far as OC's, these two and Red will be the only permanent OC's in this story and even then, Red and Calem aren't true OC's since we've seen them before in the games. So don't worry about keeping up with too many OC's.  
**

 **Anyway, let's see what the readers have to say**

 **Amourshiper35 - I'm glad you enjoyed the battle chapter. Hopefully I can come up with more chapters like that in the future as well.** **  
**

 **Ooobserver - Hey man, I know that feeling of falling behind. I see that you updated your story twice since the last time I last read it. I'll be sure to read it as soon as this holiday madness is over with lol.  
Why lie to you lol. As a fellow writer, you can clearly see where some plot points are being set up for later. I won't spoil anything right now since it isn't the time. But I have no doubt you'll see it coming. And thanks about that gym battle review. I was hoping I could write it an a way readers could understand it. Thankfully they can.  
**

 **PersonaQeminod1 - I really won't have mention his past friends unless he needs to. Don't worry though, most of them will be in this story, but much later.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Great to hear from you again. Thanks for the kind review. Believe it or not, I got the tape idea as I was wrapping Christmas gifts myself. I was eating a lolipop and dropped it on the gift. I just put tape over it to cover the sticky area lol. I introduced Alain a few chapters ago, sort of. I still have yet to truly include him in the story, but I will once the time is right. I'm just dropping hints every now and then. And sorry to disappoint if you where expecting Trevor and Tierno this chapter lol.  
**

 **ultimateCCC - I do realize in the anime they hinted about it here and there, but after a episode, they pretty much abandoned it. I'm not sure how I could implement something like that, but I do have plans to experiment with it. Whether or not it shows up in a chapter is another thing.**

 **Guest #1 - Thanks for the suggestion. I'm always trying to read stories for ideas.**

 **Guest #2 - Like I said to Guest #1, I'm always trying to read other stories and listen to people for ideas.**

 **Guest #3 - It was more a victory for those two than anything else. Pikachu and Charizard would've joined, but I decided to leave that bit of detail out instead.**

 **Guest #4 - I'm also looking ways to merge some of the manga into it. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it since it has some pretty mature stuff in there. I'll do my best to make the gym battles exciting. As far as a sequel goes, I'm going to stay away from planning one of those. I want this to be my main focus.**

 **Guest #5 - Serena will be participating in showcases. I have a brilliant way of introduce showcases other than having someone just mention it.**

 **Guest #6 - Yes, different chapters will focus on different characters. I've been focusing too much on Ash and Serena up until this point. But thankfully, the next chapter will strongly focus on Clemont. And I do plan on adjusting the Team Rocket motto to fit the situation whenever possible.**

 **Guest #7 - I am planning on doing a chapter to showcase the different patterns of Vivillon. I just don't think Team Rocket would be a great addition to it. And since Floette was a big part in the game, I do plan on including that into this story as well.**

 **Guest #8 - All I can say is I hope I can write to exceed your expectations. I will include Pokedex entries into this story after Ash and Serena acquire their Pokedex too.**

* * *

 **Wow guys, whether all those guest were different people or the same, it seems you guys are quite since it is a new year, I might as well give you all a preview of whats to come, similar to how the anime did their previews for the coming year.  
**

 **Team Rocket vs Team Flare: Retaking the Lumiose Gym - Ash and co. will meet Team Flare along with Team Rocket. They must fight together to retake the gym.**

 **The Great Rhyhorn Race - Serena will demonstrate her exceptional skills in Rhyhorn racing, while revealing she has no clue as to what she truly wants to work for. They will also encounter Korina and the two Lucarios here.**

 **The Parfum Palace Twins - The twins, along with Shauna, will make a return in this chapter. The twins are hosting a grand party to reveal something big to the Kalos Region. Trevor and Tierno will also make their first appearance in this chapter. This will be a very heavy amourshipping chapter.**

 **The Pokemon Poacher - A wild Chespin is desperate to escape. He runs into Clemont and Bonnie as the group fends off the poacher after him.**

 **Alain - Alain will finally be introduced. He will meet Marion as well as have a rematch with Red.**

 **Grant, the Rock Expert - The group meet the gym leader Grant during one of Ash's training sessions.**

 **Team Rocket vs Team Flare: Meeting Yveltal - Serena meets Yveltal as the group team up with Team Rocket once again to push back against Team Flare.**

 **Rocking the Cyllage Gym - A simple Ash vs Grant gym battle.**

 **I will be posting these chapters up on my profile with a better description if you guys are interested to know about what's to come.**

 **Well guys, I hope everyone here has had a great holiday celebration. I hope everyone has a better year than the last and many more to come. I'll look forward to writing and listening from you guys as well. As always, thank you all so much for the support.**

 **Until next time.**


	10. Rumbling Teams: Retaking the Lumiose Gym

**Well hello there everyone. I welcome each and everyone of you back as I'm here with another chapter. I said at the beginning of this story there is no set length per chapter. Well this chapter is no exception. It is the longest I have written for this story and it's about average for the original, The Kalos Trip. And no, this rewrite isn't a copy and paste lol. Anyway, before I get off topic, I give you the next chapter.**

* * *

 **Team Rocket vs Team Flare: Retaking the Lumiose Gym**

" _The gym is permanently mine" a metallic humanoid figure stated. Standing next to her brother, he has once again lost the battle for the Lumiose City Gym. Unlike the previous attempts, this was his last attempt. Should he fail, he would be forced to give up the gym completely._

" _This can be happening" the older sibling fell to his knees. He failed to reclaim the gym. He created something even he can't fix. What kind of inventor is he? "You have to give me one more chance" he pleaded. Although his duties as a gym leader cut into his time for his inventions, he still didn't want to give up his title as gym leader._

" _You will be escorted away from the gym by lethal force if necessary" the robot began charging up._

" _Let's get out of here" Bonnie grabbed his hand, running towards the exit._

"AHHHHH" Bonnie shouted, waking up in a cold sweat. Immediately checking her surroundings, she sees a sleeping Serena. "It's just a nightmare" she quickly realized. Thankfully she didn't wake up her friend or Dedenne with her fearful screams. Getting up slowly, to avoid waking up her friend, she slowly walks towards the kitchen. All that sweating made her thirsty. Luckily, she knew her own home enough to navigate it without turning on the lights. This should ensure her sleeping friend doesn't wake up.

Walking into the kitchen, she notices her older brother is standing there as well. "Couldn't see either huh" he said. It's obvious why neither of the two could find any sleep.

"I just had a nightmare about the gym is all" Bonnie replied. Judging by the fact that her brother is up as well, looks like he had the same problem. "Worried about the gym too" she asked to confirm.

"I'm more worried about lying to Ash and Serena again" he let out. The two have been great friends to him and he wouldn't want to continue lying to them anymore. "When they wake up, I was planning on telling them the truth" he admitted shamefully. He couldn't keep it a secret any longer, especially considering how he was out of options at this point.

"Hopefully they won't be too mad at us" Bonnie stated. Despite the fact that she had almost nothing to do with the incident at the gym, she wasn't about to let her older brother face Ash and Serena alone.

Clemont gave his sister a quick hug. "We'll find a way through this" he did his best to reassure his sister. If worse came to worse and Ash and Serena refused to help, he would have to come up with another plan.

* * *

"What do you mean you misplaced the map" an angry purple-haired rocket member let out. They were preparing to storm the Prism Tower, and it all depends on the map they drew up yesterday.

"Well ya see, it seems someone has misplaced it" Meowth discreetly points at James. Whether the blue-haired man lost it or not, he didn't know. However, he was the last person to see the map.

"Woooobbu" the psychic type released himself from his Pokéball.

"Not now you annoying blue blob" Jessie recalled Wobbuffet to its Pokéball. "James" she angrily let out once again. "How can you lose such a valuable map?" she shook her partner by the collar of his shirt.

"I don't know, I was busy setting up the karaoke stage for our grand opening" he admitted. With their grand opening in a few hours, he wanted to make sure everything was perfect. The last thing they needed was for anyone to suspect them of being the real Team Rocket. "If I misplaced it somewhere, it should turn up if it hasn't left the building" he said. Either way, he was too busy setting up for the grand opening to worry about anything else.

* * *

The sun was beginning to rise to a breezy day. Despite waking up due to her nightmare, Bonnie managed to get enough sleep. Thankfully she managed to avoid waking up Serena and Dedenne throughout her whole ordeal.

The two quickly get ready. "My hair is still a bit messy" Bonnie complained. Although she normally doesn't do much to it, she still liked to have it nice and neat.

"Denene" her small electric type complained, as Bonnie reached into her bag to for a comb.

"There, much better" Serena compliments the young blonde. She admired the cute charm of Bonnie. Something about her made her seem like the perfect lovable younger sister. "Clemont is lucky to have a sister like her" she thought to herself.

They find both Ash and Clemont ready to head out. "So, what's the plan for today?" Ash asks. Although he would like to move onto his next gym battle, he figured that everyone should at least get a chance to explore Lumiose City as they pleased.

Serena shrugged her shoulders. She was going along with the group, seeing as how she didn't have any real goals at the moment.

"There's some place I would like to show you two" Clemont finally let out. If he waited any longer, he wouldn't have the courage to continue.

Bonnie sighed. She knew what was about to come. Any minute now, their secret would be exposed. They would have to face both Ash and Serena. Hopefully the two will go easy on them.

The older blonde led the way towards Prism Tower. He might as well explain there. As they arrived, the group heard an older man call out to them. "Hey there you two, its been a few days since I last saw you" the man wearing overalls approached the two siblings.

Both Bonnie and Clemont immediately panicked. Now wasn't the time for a casual meeting. "Hey dad" the two quickly let out. It's been a while since they've seen their dad. Hopefully a quickly meet and greet while get him out of their hair.

"Overworking yourself again I see" the older man commented. He assumed his son was busy inventing things, which would explain why he hasn't seen him in a while. "You know, I'd at least like you to come home every now and then" he added. Despite how independent his son has become as time went by, he still worried about his two kids.

"We're fine dad" Clemont turned away, hoping his dad would get the message and leave.

It was becoming apparent to Bonnie it wasn't. Hopefully she could change the subject. "Hey dad, check out this Dedene big brother caught for me" she held up the electric type resting in her sachet.

"Nene" the electric greeted himself.

The older man took a closer look. Being an electrician himself, he was quite fond of electric types. "Why Dedene is a perfect Pokémon for you" he stated. Looking behind his kids, he notices two people who were constantly staring. Perhaps Clemont knew them. "And who's this" he gave his son a smug look. "Looks like you brought home a girlfriend" he playfully nudged his son.

Serena laughed at Clemont's reactions. He would be more annoyed by Bonnie and try to drag her away. With his dad, he simply stood there and remained silent. "It isn't like that actually" she corrected him. "I'm his friend, Serena" she said, shocking the man.

Realizing these two people probably weren't challengers, the older man breaks down. "I've waited so long for the day when you would introduce me to some of your friends" he quickly let out. Walking past his son for a moment, he turns towards the raven-haired trainer. "I've seen you on tv, Ash right?" he wanted to confirm.

"That's right" Ash replied. He assumed it must've been during that whole craziness with the guys in the orange suit were attacking that he ended up on tv. "And this is my partner Pikachu" he introduced his starter as well.

"Pikachu, that's a mighty fine electric type you have" he complimented on the electric type. "And please, call me Meyer" he said. Overall, he had a positive view on both Ash and Serena. Considering how Ash was Red's son, he seemed similar, yet different. There was no doubt, the teen radiated a positive vibe. Yet he had the same competence of Red. Perhaps the positive side was from his mother since it sure wasn't from Red.

Before their dad could continue, Bonnie figured now was the time to leave. After all, he has finally met their two friends. "Well dad, its nice seeing you again" she grabbed her brother's arm. "But we have somewhere we need to go" she began running off.

Clemont quickly caught on and began taking off as well. "Hold it you two" the older man stopped them. "Now Clemont, remember" he began. "I know you can't give away gym badges, but as a gym leader, you must also know what you're testing when battling against the challengers" he stated. He's been hearing rumors that the gym is too difficult and has been meaning to bring up the issue with his son for some time now.

The siblings however had a distraught expression. This is what they have been wanting to keep from their friends. They themselves were planning on telling both Ash and Serena just as soon as their dad left.

"I'll see you two around" the older man began walking away. "And nice meeting you Ash and Serena" he walked away.

With their dad gone, and part of their secret exposed, they slowly turned towards their friends. This should be good.

Both Ash and Serena had questions of their own. They were wondering why the two were acting rather strange the day before. They felt it was best to leave them with their privacy. "What's going on here" both Ash and Serena scolded the siblings like parents with their kids.

Both siblings were had slight smiles on their faces, attempting to hide any feelings of shame they had. Unfortunately, that plan was quickly falling apart. Giving into her shame, Bonnie let out a sigh. "Let's just tell them here" she finally gave up. After all, they were going to tell them anyway. Their dad just managed to blow that secret before they had a chance to themselves.

"Let's walk this way" Clemont sighed. As he slowly led them towards the Prism Tower, he began explaining his situation.

* * *

While walking with the siblings, both Ash and Serena could see Clemont nearly on the verge of tears. Bonnie didn't hold back either. It seems a series of unfortunate events led them to such a terrible situation. Even worse however, it left both siblings feeling as if they were in a hopeless situation. Arriving at the Prism Tower, the blonde siblings have a difficult time facing what was once theirs. Now it's being controlled by an invention of his that went out of control.

"Do you know any way we could get in?" Ash begins to ask. He wasn't going to allow Clemont to give up. If he had to drag his blonde friend with him, he would.

"Wait, you don't mean you're going to try to break in, are you?" the gym leader asks. Hasn't the trainer learned what happens when you try to brute force your way into the gym. "Besides, even if we found a way in, I can't remember the password to begin the gym leader recognition match" he looked towards the ground, embarrassed. "And even if I did remember, Bunnelby isn't ready to face my partner Pokémon I left with Clembot" he added to the already hopeless situation. Despite what anyone may say, he believes Ash and Serena do not understand just how complicated the situation really was.

"You were alone then, but now you have us" Serena placed a hand on his shoulder. She saw the gym leader looking at her. "With us by your side, there's no way you can't retake the gym" she stated. Like Ash, she stared directly in his eyes. She could see the spirit of a broken gym leader wanting a second chance. "Like Ash used to say, never give up until the very end" she added while smiling at her friend. She extended a hand at the gym leader, offering to help in any way she could.

Clemont hesitated for a moment. "No need to worry Clemont, we'll be by your side no matter what" Ash also extended a hand at the gym leader with a smile.

"Pika Pika" the electric type also offered to help.

Even though he created a huge mess, Clemont was surprised to know there were people out there like these two. They didn't see an incompetent person. They simply saw a friend in need. Without any more hesitation, he took both their hands. "Let's take back the gym" he stood up. Despite knowing he had the help of Serena and Ash, he still felt unsure of their success. First of all, they had no way of getting into the gym.

Watching the group closely, Bonnie could see they indeed met some amazing people. Even though she could see the smile on Clemont was a fake, he would at least attempt to retake the gym once more. This time with help. She ran over to her brother, getting him to squat to her level. "We're lucky to have met Ash and Serena" she whispered into her brother's ear.

A gust of wind picked up. With it, a sheet of paper flew onto Ash's face. "Not the worst thing that's flown onto my face" he removed the sheet of paper, causing the group to laugh. Taking a quick glance at the sheet of paper, he notices it is a map of some sort. "Did you make this map?" he noted the Prism Tower as a place of interest on the paper as he hand Clemont the map.

The gym leader quickly realized it wasn't a map he drew. If anything, he can't remember drawing any maps for that matter. "What a minute, it's a secret entrance to the Prism Tower?" he noticed upon closer inspection.

The group quickly put their attention on the map in question. They had no idea if such a coincidence was a good or bad thing. Good because they now had a way to break into the gym if it was correct. Bad because they had no idea what such information was being used for.

"There's one problem" the siblings quickly noted.

"It's in the Lumiose Catacombs" Clemont added. This was a place that was forbidden to the public. Any secret entrance found must be reported so the authorities can seal it off.

"What's that?" Ash asked. Being in a foreign land, he himself had no clue what the Lumiose Catacombs were.

"It's a place that's been sealed off to the public, considering how dangerous it is to explore" Serena explained. Visiting Lumiose City numerous times, she has been warned plenty of times by Shauna to stay away from such an unforgiving place. One wrong turn could mean the end.

If the map was reliable, then it was an entrance into the gym. "Then how about I go and find the entrance in" Ash began. "How do I open the doors from the inside?" the Kanto teen asked Clemont for instructions.

Despite the danger, there was no way he would allow his friend to face it alone. "I'm not sure you can, which is why I'm coming too" Clemont stated. This was his mess to sort out. Ash simply provided the motivation to move forward.

"We're coming too" Serena and Bonnie also joined the two males. If nothing else, Serena figured she could take care of Bonnie while Clemont worked on retaking the gym.

"Let's get going" Ash began leading the way as the group follow the map to the starting point.

* * *

A few minutes go by and their starting point leads them to an interesting place. "You have to be joking" Bonnie sweat drops, as the maps leads them to a rather strange place.

"It does say that, right?" Clemont began cleaning his glasses. He needed to make sure a small smudge wasn't the cause of what he was seeing.

Serena tilts her head in confusion. All she saw was a big red R painted on the door leading inside, with a sign above reading 'Café Rocket'. "If this is who I think it is, we may have some trouble" Ash states, hoping to clear some confusion.

Serena was still rather confused. Was there something she missed? "Team Rocket are a group of people who try to steal other people's Pokémon" Bonnie explained.

The blonde Kalos teen found it odd that some people would attempt to steal other trainer's Pokémon. There must be all kinds of people around the world then. "There's only one way to find out" she leads the way, opening the doors.

Walking inside, the place in decorated in various Team Rocket uniforms. They also have maps of different regions visited. Most striking feature however is the picture of their boss, Giovanni. "Welcome to the Team Rocket Café, where you can experience the authentic feel of Team Rocket without the actual threat" three people greeted the group.

"Team Rocket" Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie yelled out.

The three people greeting froze in place. "It's the twerps" the three let out. They weren't expecting to see them so soon.

"Here to hand over Pikachu already" Jessie taunted the Kanto teen. Normally she would made a grab for the electric type by now, but for the moment, it was best to hold off on any activity that would raise any red flags.

"Another twerpette" James noticed Serena standing next to the three, appearing confused. "Well I think we need to give her a proper introduction" James stated. His other two partners got ready for their signature motto.

"Prepare for trouble"

"Make that cheeseburger a double"

"To protect the world from starvation"

"To unite customer in our food nation"

"To announce the specials of food you love"

"To give these meals you want to get a hold of"

"Jessie"

"James"

"Team Rocket cooks at the speed of light"

"Eat here now for a tasty delight"

"Meowth, that's right"

"Woobbuffett"

While these people didn't seem all too bad themselves, Serena trusted her friends. If they warned her about these three, she would listen to them. After all, it's not like they would warn her simply because they didn't like the three.

"I don't suppose you have anything to do with this" Ash held the map that led them to the café.

"That map" the three shouted. Although they wanted to be discreet about their involvement, they just blew their cover. "Shoot" they scolded themselves.

"Mind explaining why you would need such information" Clemont demanded to know. This was his gym they were targeting after all.

Although Team Rocket wanted nothing to do with the twerps to avoid raise red flags, if they wanted the map back, they would have to talk. Between the three, they began explaining why they opened the café and how one big coincidence led them to the Prism Tower. They even explained how tight security was, considering they're were people in orange suits guarding the inside of the tower.

To Clemont, Bonnie, and Ash, the description of people wearing orange suits seems awfully familiar to those that attack Professor Sycamore's lab. "You don't think it could be them?" the two male teens ask each other.

They explain to the rocket trio over their encounter with the same people. "Why would they go after my gym?" Clemont begins to wonder about some possibilities.

"They're interested in a gym?" the rocket trio ask. They thought the Prism Tower housed some more important.

"Well no matter, only we are the ones who have exclusive rights to steal Pikachu" James stated.

"Besides, we can figure out who these people are and who they work for at the same time" Jessie added.

"For now, I say we have a truce" Meowth offered the group.

While Serena had no idea how much a truce with the trio was worth, both Clemont and Bonnie were on the fence about working with Team Rocket. They interrupted a battle in an attempt to steal Pikachu. However, they saw Ash accepting the temporary agreement. They didn't fully trust Team Rocket, but they trusted Ash's judgement. After all, he has had the most experience dealing with them.

While Jessie, James, and Meowth greeted guest for the grand opening, they had one grunt begin gathering a team. The team would help the four get into the gym. If they had to fend off any people in orange suits, Team Rocket was there to help. Besides, they figured they could force some information out of them. Clearly, they were working for someone. The question was who.

"Welcome everyone to our grand opening of the Rocket Café" the trio were on stage they built earlier. "We're here to give you all a slice of life in Team Rocket without real threat" they began. Using the stage for what it was meant for, the trio began singing a song they wrote themselves.

 _Prepare for trouble_

 _Make it double_

 _We'll be the riches rouges of all time_

 _Creators of a grand design_

 _I'll be the king_

 _I'll be the queen_

 _I'll be the joker…of crime_

For crooks, the group had to admit they had talent. Even the song they composed seemed to fit their actions perfectly.

While the guest of the café were being entertained, a group of Team Rocket grunts were preparing to break into the Prism Tower. All they needed to do was wait for the singing trio to finish their song and they could be on their way.

 _Team Rocket's rockin_

 _Talkin' trouble, walkin' trouble_

 _Double troube, big trouble's gonna follow you_

 _Team Rocket's rockin_

 _Talkin' trouble, walkin' trouble_

 _Double troube, big trouble's gonna follow you_

 _We're gonna capture Pikachu_

The group nearly fell over by the last line they heard. It seems their main goal in life was to capture Pikachu. "Well at least they're on their way" Bonnie noted the song's end.

With the guest of the café settled in, they allowed guest to come to the stage and begin singing.

"We're ready to take off" the trio led the way towards the trap door, leading to the entrance of the Lumiose Catacombs.

Slowly entering the Lumiose Catacombs, both Clemont and Serena immediately see why they were warned never to enter such a place. It's covered in human skeletons as far as the eye can see, and that wasn't much considering how dark it was.

"We're not going to end up like this, now are we?" Bonnie nervously asks. She didn't want to be left behind or have someone stay behind with her either. She felt Serena grab her hand. At least she found comfort in knowing her friend wouldn't lose her that easily.

Wandering around, with James and Inkay leading the pack, the group come across a painting. It had an orange flame reading 'Team Flare'. Although they couldn't know for sure, they suspected it may have something to do with those that attacked Professor Sycamore's lab.

A few minutes of wandering, and James announces they are right below the entrance. "I'll go first" Clemont volunteered. It was his gym, and he knew it better than anyone in the group. The very least he could do was navigate his way towards the battle field. Seeing the room clear at the moment, Clemont is the first up. He signals the small group of Team Rocket grunts to join him as well.

Serena, Bonnie, and Ash were the last of the group to go up. They wanted to stay back to make sure Team Rocket didn't try anything they promised not to. "You go up first Ash" Serena said, earning a rather strange look from her friend. She gently grabbed her skirt, motioning why she preferred to go last.

"Let's get up there buddy" Ash understood. The last thing he wanted to do was make Serena feel uncomfortable.

With the whole group inside the gym. Bonnie led both Ash and Serena towards the battle field, seeing as how they both fell behind the group. Approaching the entry way of the field, they hear some yelling. Rather than exposing themselves, they peak around the corner. However what they saw was completely unexpected. They saw a group of people in the same orange suits from before standing off against Team Rocket, with Clemont, Jessie, James, and Meowth at the front.

"It seems they are holding that robot hostage" Ash notices.

"Oh no, Clembot" Bonnie cries out. Despite being one of the causes to their current misfortune, she would never want anything to harm the robot. Her brother worked tirelessly on it like any other invention. Her brother has high hopes for Clembot, despite what has happened.

The Kanto teen notices Bonnie's worried expression. Judging by the stand off, it seems there is a stalemate. Perhaps the element of surprise can break it in their favor. "Hey Bonnie, is there any way to sneak up behind them?" Ash asks. If they snuck behind them, Clemont could perhaps use that temporary distraction to free Clembot while Team Rocket charges. That's assuming they caught onto the plan without any explanations.

The small blonde immediately leads them around the field. Thankfully the walls around provided them with cover to prevent anyone from seeing them going around. "When we get there, we need to charge through somehow" Ash thought. Remembering the battle field, there was plenty of space for a certain flying type to move around freely. Releasing his Charizard, the group stop for a moment to come up with a quick plan of attack. "I know you didn't see the robot or anything, but do you think you can sneak up and free him?" he asks his fire type. There wasn't enough time to check how clear the other end was. They would just have to hope for the best.

Pikachu climbed on top of the fire type's back. "Pika pika" he let out. The electric type offered to help direct his flying type friend. With that, the two take off with Pikachu leading the charge.

The trainer nodded. He put all his confidence on his oldest Pokémon partners. "Froakie, Fletchling, I choose you" he let out his other two Pokémon. "Things might get a little hectic" the trainer briefly explains. "Think you two can handle it?" he asks.

The two Pokémon nod in agreement. With Ash being their trainer, they have confidence there is no way they can fail.

Although she wasn't going to be of much help, Serena decides to let out her Fennekin as well. If nothing else, she would do everything possible to keep Bonnie out of harm's way.

* * *

Facing off against the people in orange suits, Clemont, as well as Team Rocket were at a standstill. If they made any surprise moves forward, Clembot would take the brunt of the damage. "What is it that you could ever want with this gym?" Meowth asked. He still couldn't figure out why anyone would take over a gym. There had to be something significant to it.

Refusing to answer, they simply issued a warning. "If you all leave now, no one gets hurt and the gym remains intact" a bald grunt responds. He pulls out a small control with two buttons. "If you don't, say goodbye to your precious machine and gym" he slowly inches a finger towards the top button.

Once in the Prism Tower, Clemont felt as if he was one step closer towards retaking the gym. However being faced with the guys in orange suits, that one step closer became two steps back. Even with the support of Team Rocket, they were all powerless to do anything against the current threat. "What could you possibly gain from any of this?" Clemont began. "No one here has ever done anything to deserve any of this" he added.

To say confrontation to the gym leader was nerve wracking was an understatement. Underneath his baggy jumpsuit, the blonde sibling's knees were shaking out of nervousness. However, he was committed to freeing his robot friend and his gym. "It's not over until it's over" Ash's words repeated themselves in his mind.

The bald man in the orange suit was the first to respond. "Look kid, it's nothing personal" he began saying. "But we came across this fine piece of machinery that's a perfect candidate" he mentioned. He still had more however. He was hopeful he could break the gym leaders spirit with what he had next. "Everything else here was basically useless" he had a grunt throw out some charred metal parts, in full view for everyone to see.

Seeing one of his inventions destroyed by the hands of these strange people only gave him more reasons to take back his gym. The secrets held in the Prism Tower represented his life's work he has done up until now. Despite an uncountable number of failures, each one was a learning experience, including the mishap with Clembot. "Come on out Bunnelby" Clemont has had enough, despite doing his best to fight off his nerves.

"I warned you kid" the bald grunt held up the control. He slowly placed his finger on the top button of the control. "Stop now or I'll-" he was interrupted by the sound of his grunts yelling out.

"Where did this come from!?" the grunts where pushed aside by a Charizard with glowing wings.

"Pika pika" the electric type directed his flying friend towards the shiny metal humanoid figure. They flew past the grunt holding the control in the air, unknowingly blowing the device out of his hand.

Distracted momentarily, the gym leader saw Clembot was free of harm for the time being. With Charizard holding onto the robot, he glances over toward the person who was holding the control, or lack of. "Where's the control?" he finally notices it missing. Quickly searching for it, he finds it laying on the ground not too far from him.

The orange suited grunt notices the gym leader lunging for the control. "Houndoom, use Flamethrower on that guy" he commanded, without regard for a fellow person's well-being.

"Inkay, block it with Psybeam" James reacts, defending the person they promised to help out.

The psychic type intercepts the attack before hitting the blonde sibling. They see Clemont giving the 'all-clear' signal.

"Let's charge forward" Meowth lunged at the other orange suited grunts with glowing claws.

On Team Rocket's side, the grunts let out their various Pokémon which consisted of multiple Zubats, Golbats and Raticates. There were also the occasional NIdoran and Nidorina thrown into the mix as well.

On the opposing side, there were several types which included Houndour, Skunktank, Noibats and many more.

As if war had broken out, the opposing sides clashed in the middle. There were attacks of all types flying in all directions. Even more startling was some battles were unevenly matched, having two or three grunts joining up against one.

Carefully navigating their way through the mess, Ash, Bonnie, and Serena find Clemont on the ground amongst the chaos. "Sorry for causing such a mess" Ash quickly apologized. Hopefully Team Rocket would keep their promise to help and leave once everything was said and done.

Taking a look around, Clemont realizes this was much more than he himself could every hope to handle. He simply wanted to retake his gym from Clembot. Instead, he was fighting to keep his invention in one piece while learning more about these orange suited grunts. Forgetting the mass chaos, he shifts his priority towards Clembot. "We'll let Team Rocket handle this, I have something else I need to do" he runs towards his invention. Thanks to Charizard and Pikachu, not only was Clembot out of harms way, he even has the control that could potentially destroy the Prism Tower.

Running towards the robot with the group, they see it has been disabled at the moment. He notices a strange device has been placed on Clembot as well. "Maybe it has something to do with the control" he reasons. Either way, they would need to detain one and find out what exactly they did.

The main grunt in charge observed how the tide of the battle turned in Team Rocket's favor. "Houndoom, I want you to use Flamethrower on anything that doesn't have orange" he screamed out of frustration. They were close to redeeming themselves from their last failure. He wasn't going to go back to his boss without anything to prove his worth.

Once it was obvious that the grunt leading the others had no regards for human life, they all figured they would have to be extra cautious.

"If it's orange that's safe, looks I better stand in the way" Ash and Charizard stood in front of Houndoom, ready to take the fire type attack.

Team Rocket were surprised to see the trainer they were constantly pursuing didn't power up his fire type. "Hey twerp, hurry up and transform that Charizard of yours so we can see how strong it is" Jessie was annoyed by the lack of transformation. Although they haven't witnessed it themselves, they have heard a lot about it from others.

"You shouldn't have blasted off before meeting Mega-Charizard" Ash joked.

While the two were talking between each other, the grunts seemed to remember such an encounter. The trainer with a red cap and blue Charizard. "Put out Charizard's flame on his tail" the grunts planned on putting down the fire type, permanently.

Before they had a chance to attack, Froakie, as well as Fletchling and Pikachu stood alongside their trainer. If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they're about to get.

Seeing the Pokémon before them, even more grunts begin to realize who the trainer was. He defeated the leading grunt not too long ago on top of the Prism Tower. "No way man, you're on your own here" many grunts began to flee. They decided to cut their losses while they still could.

James had some Team Rocket grunts chase after the orange suited grunts. "Try this on for size" Jessie threw and cube at the leading grunt who was currently yelling at his partners for abandoning him.

"What the!?" the orange suited man screamed in surprise. The cube contained a net, that managed to capture the grunt.

With their leader out of the way, the remainder of the grunts began fleeing the Prism Tower. "Chase them as well" James ordered.

Obeying their orders, the Team Rocket members left to chase the orange suited people, leaving behind Jessie, James, and Meowth. More than anything else, they realized this was more or less an order to retreat, seeing how they weren't needed anymore.

Turning their attention to the tied-up man, it's time to ask questions. "Please, you guys have to protect me any way you can?" the tied-up grunt begged. "This was my last chance, otherwise I have no idea what's going to happen to me" he briefly explained, hoping for the best.

As much as Team Rocket wanted the grunt to suffer, they didn't want his fate on their conscience. "We'll hand you over to Officer Jenny if you agree to talk" Meowth negotiated a deal. Surprisingly, the grunt agreed almost instantly. "First off, who are you working for?" the normal type asks.

"Listen, I'm just a low-level newbie" he begins. "We're an organization called Team Flare and we were tasked with finding a great power source" he let out. "All I know is, we're trying to preserve the beauty of the Kalos Region" he said when asked what his goals were.

After a few short minutes, it became painfully obvious this guy didn't know much about any of Team Flare's true motives. Once Team Rocket were done with him, Clemont had a few questions of his own. "So why Clembot? Why the Prism Tower?" he asked.

"Think about it genius" he sarcastically started. "The Prism Tower routes all the power from the power plant to all of Lumiose City" he pointed out the obvious. "We came in here and found this robot, so naturally he tried to disable it" he mentioned. "It is of use to us if we could reprogram it" he added.

After receiving some instructions from the grunt on how to work the control, Team Rocket led the Team Flare member away. "And one more thing twerps" Jessie turned to address the group. "We may have helped today, but tomorrow, we're coming after Pikachu" she pointed out.

"So watch ya self" Meowth added.

With a nice parting message, Team Rocket led the grunt off towards Officer Jenny's station.

With the fighting over, their attention was turned towards Clemont. They noticed the gym leader was awfully silent. "You have your gym back" Ash commented. Although he figured it was a bittersweet victory for his friend, considering he never overcame his invention.

Even though Ash had a point about having his gym back, he had yet to truly overcome his past mistake. He was only standing in his gym thanks to the efforts of everyone involved. "Not yet" he let out, surprising everyone. "I still don't have my gym back" he boldly let out. Not until he conquered his mistakes.

To most people, having the thing that caused the problem under control should be enough. Clemont on the other hand had to conquer the problem that was haunting him. Otherwise, he will never be able to move forward. "We all believe in you" Bonnie ran up to hug her brother.

Ash and Serena observe the siblings. It's obvious the two cared deeply for each other. It's also obvious Bonnie was proud to know Clemont was doing everything he could to fix his errors rather than run away.

Clemont pushed the bottom button as the grunt said he could. With that, Clembot reactivated. "Hello trainer, how many badges do you currently hold?" the machine did as it was programmed to do.

"So far so good" Clemont noted. Despite not having any idea what the password could be, he had to do his best to win the battle against his invention. "Master recognition mode" the gym leader said aloud. Immediately, Clembot allowed the person claiming to be it's master to input the password.

Now was the moment of truth. The gym leader remembers how the machine received the dent on his head. Hopefully what he had in mind was the correct passcode. "Today's your first day, I'm the gym leader Clemont" he repeated from that day. The blonde sibling clenched his fist in anticipation of his inventions response.

"Password accepted, please prepare for the battle" Clembot confirmed the password, allowing Clemont to prove he is the gym leader.

Ash, Serena, and Bonnie make their way to the sidelines while Clemont to the other end of the field. "Ready to do this Bunnelby" Clemont asks his Pokémon.

"Bun" the normal type let's out.

Across the field, he sees his partner Pokémon, Heliolisk, is his opponent.

"Use Thunderbolt" Clembot was the first to issue an attack.

Clemont noted how he needed to change Clembot's manner through programming. "Use your ears on the ground to counter" he responded, pushing aside that last thought. Sure enough, the cloud of dust canceled out the electric attack.

From the sideline, Serena noted the tactics Clemont was using. It seemed almost if Ash was battling.

"Use Dragon Tail" the shiny humanoid ordered.

With his normal type about to take a hit, Clemont had also anticipated such an attack. "Use Double Slap" he said.

Bunnelby lunged forward with glowing ears. With one ear, he stopped the Dragon Tail in mid-air. With the other ear, he managed to land a hit, causing Heliolisk to fall back.

"Now use Dig" Clemont went on the offensive. The sooner he could end the battle, the sooner he could work on his out of order invention.

"Use Bulldoze" Clembot said in response.

The electric type slammed his foot on the ground, causing Bunnelby to be sent into the air, straight from the ground. "Wait a minute, I never taught Heliolisk that move" the gym leader cried out in surprise.

"Now use Thunderbolt" the robot ordered while the normal type was in the air.

Unfortunately, Clemont didn't have time to come up with any strategies. Bunnelby took the force of the attack directly, crashing down onto the ground below. "Use Dragon Tail" Clembot followed through with another attack, not letting Clemont have a chance to recover.

Instantly, Clemont had a plan to beat his own invention. "Bunnelby quick, use Dig" he ordered.

From the sidelines, the group quickly saw Clemont was losing the advantage to his own invention. They noted however, Clembot was absolutely ruthless with battling. It's as if it was programmed to battle one certain way and no way else. Despite the trouble their friend was having, they saw a glimmer of hope on him. The smile he had while battling said it all. He was in it to win it. "Let's go big brother" Bonnie cheered the loudest.

Indeed the Kalos teen had a plan. Remembering how he programmed his invention, it was meant to react to certain strategies in a certain way. He figured he could continue having his machine repeat the same attack over and over while gaining ground. "Come up and use Double Team" Clemont yelled out.

Bunnelby emerged from a hole in the ground, along with numerous clones. "Use Parabolic Charge" Clembot ordered.

The attack wiped out nearly every clone in the air. "Use Dig again" Clemont ordered.

With the remaining clones, they dug holes in the ground. Bunnelby however had a clue as to what his trainer was up to.

"Use Bulldoze" the robot order again.

Expecting the attack, the gym leader ordered his Pokémon to surface with multiple clones. As predicted, Clembot issued the same attack.

Seeing his machine stuck in a constant loop, Clemont was closing the gap between Bunnelby and Heliolisk. As much as he preferred not to, the teen knew he would be the cause of his machine's programming crash. "Come up and use Mud Shot" the gym leader ordered.

With Heliolisk right above him, Bunnelby sent the electric flying into the air. Forming a few balls of mud, he launched a barrage of Mud Shots at his opponent. Due to the typing of the attack, Heliolisk came crashing onto the ground below already knocked out.

While observing the battle, Clembot's programming did not have any responses to what was going on. It rebooted itself, with the knowledge it has lost the battle. "Welcome back gym leader Clemont" it said, not acknowledging the injured Heliolisk.

Despite not having an official call, the clear winner was Clemont. "Are you alright Heliolisk?" the blonde teen checks on his Pokémon, hoping he didn't land too rough.

"Lisk" the electric type greeted his trainer, letting him know he would be fine.

"So what's going to happen with Clembot" Serena asks, catching up to her friend. Even though it was the cause of a lot of trouble, she wondered what was next for the robot.

Before, Clemont had the idea of scraping the robot. It was simply too dangerous to have it go wrong again. However, that was what he would've done before he had met Ash. Thanks to the trainer's inspiring, never give up until it's over attitude, he new resolve was simply to fix any error's he overlooked the first time.

Back in his lab, Clemont began work to reprogram his machine. Unlike the last time, he added more human qualities, such as compassion and restraint to the programming. And in order to avoid any trainer from exploiting the same bug he did, he made sure the programming allowed Clembot to adapt and learn new strategies.

After a few hours of repairs, Clemont was ready to test his improved invention. "Let's do this" Ash stood on the other end with Pikachu, ready to test out the improvements. Unsurprisingly, Ash and Pikachu managed to defeat Clembot.

Wanting to test out how it would react to beginner trainers, Ash and Clemont managed to convince Serena to have her first official gym badge. "Who knows, I may get a rival out of this" Ash let out. More than anything else, this gave Serena a chance to try out new options. With Fennekin by her side, her opponent was Magneton. Due to her lack of experience in a battle, Serena lost her first gym battle.

"Well Clemont, does it work like it's supposed to?" Bonnie asks, hoping it was how her brother intended it to be.

The Kalos teen turned towards his improved invention. "What do you say Clembot, want to grow stronger as friends?" asked his invention.

"Of course, I want to grow stronger as friends" he replied.

"I want to grow stronger with my friends as well" Ash cheerfully let out, putting an arm around his gym leader friend.

The gym leader was relieved to finally be free of his nightmare. Thanks to the help of Ash and Serena, and surprisingly Team Rocket, he was no longer afraid to confront his mistakes head on. Every time a problem would occur, he now had the courage to confront anything standing in his way. Sadly, there was one more thing he needed to confront.

* * *

"So this organization's name is Team Flare" Giovanni answered from the other side of the screen. He was currently being filled in on the details of Team Rocket's latest operation.

"That's right" Jessie confirmed. "Their ultimate goal is to keep Kalos beautiful" she said everything that she knew. Well at least according to the grunt they had captured. "For some odd reason, we can't quite figure out why they need a massive power source" she did her best to come up with any possible answers.

To the leader of Team Rocket, Team Flare sounded like a bunch of fashion hippies who were fanatics of the environment. "This information doesn't help much, but at least you're making progress" he noted, causing the three to jump in joy. "And you mentioned that you dropped off the grunt at Officer Jenny's station" he pointed out. "Tell me, do they suspect anything about Team Rocket?" he was hoping they didn't blow their own cover.

"Not at all" James was the first to respond. "On the contrary, we're going to host the Officer Jenny department tomorrow to give them an authentic Kanto experience" he said. "They found the idea of a café with a Team Rocket theme interesting to say the least" he explained.

Although Giovanni could see many problems with hosting Officer Jenny and her department, if they could manage to befriend the local police, they were in the clear for their operations. "Very well, I trust you three can pull this off" the boss gave them his blessing. "Keep up the great work and contact me whenever you find more useful information" he said, ending the call.

As if they had captured a rare Pokémon, the three celebrate a successful start to their Kalos takeover. It wouldn't be long before the boss sees their true value to Team Rocket. "This calls for a celebration" Meowth led the other two to the other Team Rocket members.

* * *

Back with Clemont, Ash, Bonnie, and Serena, the gym leader would have to confront his dad about the recent events that happened at the gym. "You mean to tell me a robot took over the gym and locked you out till just now?" Meyer was having trouble understanding what his son told him. What he had a hard time understanding was how could Clemont have let things get out of his control.

"Everything is fine now though" he said, motioning towards Clembot. "Thanks to Ash and Serena, we have our gym back" he let out.

Meyer was a bit disappointed how everything could've been so out of control. At least he managed to regain control of the gym again. "So does that mean you'll be coming home more often?" the dad asks his son, considering he hasn't seen the two siblings in a while.

"Well actually" the gym leader began rubbing his fingers together in nervousness as he received an odd stare from his dad. Despite what may have happened, he would still need to confront his dad over his immediate plans. "I want to travel the Kalos Region with Ash and Serena" he stated.

Immediately, Meyer crossed his arms and began staring down.

Watching the siblings' dad, both Ash and Serena had no clue as to he would allow them or not. "In the short time I've traveled with Ash, I learned so much about never giving up and made some amazing friends doing it" he explained. "We laughed together as we got to know each other" he added.

"And since then, I too have made more friends" Bonnie held up her electric type.

"Please sir, Clemont is a great friend to have around" Ash added in. He sincerely enjoyed the blonde siblings' company.

"I'll even help take care of Bonnie" Serena said. After all, the idea of having a little sister figure around was more than rewarding in itself.

"I can help with chores around the house as well" Clembot said.

The group watched as the older man began trembling. "I'm, I'm" he slowly let out. "I'm overwhelmed with happiness" he burst out, surprising the group. He pulled in his kids to hug them both. "Clemont, Bonnie, I've always said having friends is important" he began explaining. "And you two found two amazing friends on your own" he wept.

"So does this mean we can travel with them?" Clemont was hopeful.

"Of course, you can" Meyer hugged his kids again.

"Thank you so much dad" Bonnie returned the affection.

While the siblings were busy with their dad, both Ash and Serena high five each other. "I have a feeling that things are about to get interesting" Serena lets out, earning a cheeky grin from the Kanto teen.

With nightfall quickly approaching, the group head over towards the siblings' house. The events of the day were beginning to take their toll. "Goodnight Serena" Bonnie says to her friend before falling asleep.

"Goodnight Bonnie" Serena returns the gesture, also falling asleep next to her friend.

Meanwhile in the living, both Ash and Clemont were busy discussing their plans for the immediate future. "So aren't you going to challenge the gym?" the Kalos teen asks. He was sure Ash would want to earn the badges as quick as possible.

The raven-haired teen however had other plans. "You said you wanted to battle others with four gym badges right?" he asks, not expecting an answer. "I'll just get four badges then challenge you once I have them" he made his plans known. Ash stuck a fist out.

Although he wasn't sure how a battle between him and his friend would turn out, Clemont would train as much as he could in order to give Ash a proper battle. "I'll wait for your challenge" Clemont fist bumped with Ash.

* * *

 **Well guys, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter. Due to the size limitations of naming the chapters, I had to cut the name. I know it was a Team Flare vs Team Rocket chapter, but it was Clemont focused more than anything else. So I do apologize if the Team Flare vs Team Rocket chapter bit was a little lacking. It was more of an introduction more than anything else. Another thing, I know Clemont may have seemed as if he battled a little like Ash, keep in mind, I tried to make it seem as if Clemont was trying to break the limitations of his own machine. I have a vague idea of how computer programming works, so I used my limited knowledge in that field to try to write the battle. Anyway, before I go on with this rant, let's read some messages from the readers.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Hey man, great to see you again. I don't know why the idea of double KO didn't cross my mind lol. In hindsight, that would've been a better outcome. And keep in mind, those next few chapters are not yet set in stone. The only ones that are is the Great Rhyhorn Race and The Parfum Palace Twins. And please, tell me where I'm going with the two Lucarios because I have no clue lol.**

 **ultimateCCC - I honestly don't remember. But thanks for reminding me lol. At least I have Ash suddenly remember too since I completely forgot about it lol.**

 **Lightningblade49 - Hey man, great to see you here for the rewrite. I remember that time when you recommended me reintroduce Misty into this story lol. Well I went ahead and did that the first chapter since I loved that idea since you suggested it. And I know Salem may seem a bit snotty right now, but with time, I plan to have him become one of the more well-loved characters eventually. But thanks for the compliments.**

 **Amourshiper35 - Based on your name, I can tell you're a huge amourshipper lol. Not going to spoil any of the story for you, but just wait until The Parfum Palace Twins chapter lol.  
**

 **Ooobserver - Nice to you again man. I try my best lol. I too had forgotten their personalities from a long time ago. So instead, I decided to start over with them as well. New year new characters right lol. And since I'm not going to add the ORAS plot like I did in the original, I have more time to focus on Ash and Froakie as well as Team Rocket vs Team Flare aspect of the story without overwhelming the readers or myself. From what I know, the writers of the Anime don't know how long they have with the anime. They usually assume three years since. Whether it's true or not, I have no idea. And you may see future chapters, I see a long to do list lol.  
**

 **Guest - I'm glad you enjoyed your holiday too. I always love hearing from the readers that they are doing great. I'll get me a Nintendo Switch too when I finally get time. School right now is hectic for me so I can't have too many distractions. But once I do, I'll be more than happy to challenge you to a fight in Pokken Tournament lol.**

 **Once again, I hope you all enjoyed this Clemont focused chapter. Next one, it's going to be Serena focused. I may also focus a little bit more on Clemont too. I'll know once I begin writing lol.**

 **Next Chapter, The Great Rhyhorn Race.**

 **I'm tempted to copy and paste the original chapter and call it a rewrite lol just joking. There are too many differences between the original and the rewrite for me to even consider copy and paste. Anyway, I hope to see everyone for the next chapter.**

 **Until next time.**


	11. The Great Rhyhorn Race

**Well hello everyone. Sorry for the long time it took to update. I hit some writers block along the way lol. That and a case of the flu, but I'm fine now. Anyway, I'm glad to finally have this chapter out of the way. I'm looking forward towards the next one. Anyway, I'll explain at the author's notes below. So here goes the next chapter.**

* * *

 **The Great Rhyhorn Race**

The group was greeted with favorable weather for training on Route Five. Midday afternoon, they decided to take a break from the traveling. After retaking the Lumiose Gym, some could certainly use a break. For a Kanto teen however, he and his Pokémon took the break as a chance to train. Normally many people would think that's a strange way to spend their break. However, this training session was a bit different. Having challenged Clembot to an official gym battle, after some persuasion from her friends, Serena was also training with her friend Ash.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt" Ash had his electric type use its attack.

"Ember" Serena responded. The attacks met in the middle, causing a gust of wind to blow in all directions from the impact.

From the looks of it, it was clear that Ash and Pikachu weren't going their full strength, a fact that Serena greatly appreciated. It was training after all. More importantly, they saw this as an opportunity for Serena to explore a new career path. "Are you two feeling the fighting spirit?" Ash asks, signaling it is a perfect time for a quick break.

"We're feeling something alright" Serena gently sat on the ground. Fennekin slowly walks towards her trainer. Tired as well, she rests on Serena's lap after the training session. "Looks like we both need to get in shape" Serena laughed at her poor endurance. Even though she was sure she didn't want to challenge the gyms, there was no doubt she needs to get into shape with her Pokémon.

"Fenn" the fire type agrees, letting out a huff.

"So are you going to become Ash's rival?!" Bonnie wanted to know if Serena has decided to challenge the gyms. The very thought filled her with excitement, as it meant that her friend would acquire more Pokémon.

"Now now Bonnie, you shouldn't push someone into a goal until they have had a chance to learn more about it" Clemont did his best to calm his sister down. He understood the turmoil Serena was currently facing. He too had a similar feeling when his gym was temporarily taken from him.

While Serena appreciated Clemont telling Bonnie not to pressure her, she needed something to work for as the younger sibling stated. One thing she count tell from just training with Ash, she wasn't a huge fan of Pokémon battles. Sure she liked spending time with her Fennekin and Ash, but training for battles wasn't for her. "I think I'm going to keep searching" she smiled at the blonde. In all honesty, the search for a goal was being to take its toll on the Kalos teen. She was beginning to worry she was going to remain without direction.

From the distance, the group begin to feel the ground tremble. Off in the distance, they see Charizard and Fletchling return from their training, with Froakie riding on on the Flame Pokémon. "Hey you three, back so-" Ash interrupted himself when he noticed a rather large dust cloud headed their way.

Instantly, the group move off to the edge of the road. Soon enough, the trembling was revealed to be a large group of Rhyhorn, running along the path. "Let's go you rowdy bunch, we have somewhere to be" and blonde girl on roller blades led the group of ground types from behind. Following her were two Lucarios as well.

Watching them go by, one of the Lucario notices Serena paying close attention to the Rhyhorn. He rushes towards the blonde teen, staring at her for a bit.

Serena was startled by the fighting type. She was shocked to see a rather strong Pokémon staring at her intently. Whether he saw her as a threat or anything else, the stare was nerve wracking. "Lucario" she heard the blonde roller blader call out. Without any further incident, the strange fighting type left.

The group wait a few moments. "Any idea what that was about?" Ash breaks the silence. From the looks of it, it was almost as if the strange Pokémon was examining her. After all, he should know. He has a good deal of experience dealing with the Aura Pokémon on various occasions. He even remembers getting into a fight with one personally.

"I have no clue" the Kalos teen was in a mindless trance. She couldn't explain it, but she had a feeling as if the strange Pokémon was calling out to her. Shaking away the initial shock, she realizes what the Rhyhorn were for. "Looks like there's going to be a race" she lets out. She could tell, simply because she knew they would have someone inspect the course a day before the race, usually with a group of Rhyhorn. This way they ensured there we're no major problems with the race path.

The four agreed to check out the race. After all, they were curious about Rhyhorn Racing.

"Wow, check out all the Rhyhorn" Bonnie immediately sees the Rhyhorn from before. Quickly, she began rushing towards the Spikes Pokémon. Unfortunately for her, the older sibling could tell what she was up to. Using his Aipom Arm from his backpack, the younger sibling was suspended in the air, preventing her from approaching the Rhyhorn. "Party pooper" Bonnie crosses her arms in annoyance.

Realizing her friends want some more information about the sport of Rhyhorn Racing, Serena figures she could explain everything she knows. She begins talking about the basics of the sport, as well as some strategies racers use.

"Wow Serena, you're very knowledgeable in Rhyhorn Racing" Clemont points out, impressed by her vast knowledge. "We're you looking into Rhyhorn Racing by any chance?" he asked, wondering if that's the reason she knew so much about it.

While she had a lot of experience in the sport, Serena couldn't say she had much love for it. "My mom is actually a Rhyhorn Racer" she clarified. "And a really good one at that" she added. Once again, the talk about having goals was enough to bring down her spirit. Perhaps she should just give up and take the easy way out. She could just become a Rhyhorn Racer and receive training from her mom.

Surprising the group, a Lucario appeared in front of Serena once again, from seemingly out of nowhere. Once again, he intently stared at the Kalos teen. However he didn't seem to threaten her in any way. He had an almost curious look.

"Not again Lucario" they all heard the same blonde from earlier in the day call out. She managed to break the Aura Pokémon from his trance like state. "I'm sorry guys, Lucario isn't normally like this" she apologized and explained. Meanwhile, the other Lucario was busy trying to figure out why his fellow Lucario friend was acting strange all of a sudden.

Satisfied by his quick inspection, the strange Lucario returned to his friend's side.

The blonde teen with roller blades sighed. She sure had a lot to deal with at the moment. "I apologize for that" she let out. "I'm Korrina by the way" she introduced herself. "And you probably already seen one, but these two are my friends, Lucario" she introduced the two Pokémon as well. However, before they had a chance to ask any questions, she quickly explained how one of them was her starter Pokémon when he was just a Riolu, and the other one just randomly decided to hang around both of them.

Indeed, the group could see that the second Lucario was a strange one. "I'm assuming you're the host of this race" Serena said. It would seem that is the case, due to all the preparation she was currently doing.

"A friend of mine asked if I could help out" she briefly explained. After all, he had a big day ahead of him in a few days. Thinking about it, more like a big life.

Instantly Ash had an idea. "Do you think I can enter the race?" he asked surprising the whole group. If he was to become a Pokémon Master, he would have to know how to deal with different kinds of Pokémon in a variety of ways.

"Sure" Korrina responded almost immediately. "You can choose which Rhyhorn you wish to use over there?" she pointed towards the numerous ground types. "I'll check on you later and confirm that you're still in the race" she skated off. As much as she would like to know the group of friends better, she was busy at the moment. She couldn't let her friend down, especially when he had a rather special day ahead of him in a few days.

Leaving with her were also the two Lucario. With the three far away in the distance, Serena could only begin to wonder what was going through Ash's head. "Do you even know anything about racing, such as riding a Rhyhorn?" she asks, still wondering what was going through Ash's head. Although this shouldn't surprise her. Her friend was known to be a daring person, who would jump into anything without giving it much thought.

"That's why I want you to be my coach" he quickly explains, implying he has no clue about the first thing of Rhyhorn Racing.

Instantly, Serena froze at the thought of coaching Ash. She could barely even make it through practice session with her mom. How would she do with Ash? "Uhm" Serena mumbled, unsure how to respond. On one hand, she wanted to help her friend, simply because it's Ash who asked. On the other hand, she was afraid she wouldn't be a great coach. If Ash lost, she could only blame herself for his failure.

"Why I think that's a great idea" Clemont cut in. He too was curious to see just how well Ash could master the sport. After all, the Kanto native was known for trying over and over, despite numerous failures.

"Come on Serena, do it" Bonnie cheered her on as well. She mainly wanted to get closer to the Rhyhorn.

As much as she wanted to say no, she couldn't deny her friend an opportunity he wanted. "Alright Ash, I'll be your coach" she softly let out. She was more nervous than anything else. Hopefully she could pass on her mother's lessons to Ash, who could probably make better use of it than she ever could.

After instructing her friend to change, she too changes into an appropriate attire. Similar to Clemont's jumpsuit, she dons a pink jumpsuit. "Well guys, what do you think?" she asks, as Ash emerges from the changing room wearing a dark blue jumpsuit.

"It sure seems to fit the mood well" Ash comments. "And looks great on you" he complimented his friend. He still couldn't get over just how comfortable the jumpsuit was. No wonder Clemont always wore one.

"Thanks Ash, yours looks great on you too" Serena returned the compliment, earning a cheeky grin. Bonnie quickly noted the heart shapes on her suit. "I added these myself a while back" she stated. Clearly, she was talented in making clothes. There didn't seem to be a sewing out of place or misaligned.

The others noted her excellent work. It was easy to see that she herself possessed a unique talent. Remembering her strange mood swings earlier in the day, Ash figures he would have a chat with Serena when he had the chance. Perhaps he knew a way to cheer her up. Shaking those thoughts away for the moment, it's time to train. He approached the ground type, unaware of how easy they are startled.

"Wait, don't approach them like that" Serena quickly stopped Ash from causing a stampede. She explained the appropriate technique from approaching the ground types. Demonstrating the proper method of approach, she was happily greeted by a waiting Rhyhorn. "See, know you try" she let the trainer attempt it himself.

Ash followed Serena's instructions. "Hey there buddy" he slowly crouched towards Rhyhorn, as to not startle it. "How would you like to be my partner in the race tomorrow?" he asks the resting Rhyhorn.

Almost immediately, the ground type lunges at Ash. He is more than happy to join the raven-haired teen.

With Ash having a partner for the race, they could now practice. For starters, Serena demonstrated the proper technique for mounting a Rhyhorn. Seemingly flawless, she manages to climb on top of the Spikes Pokémon, as if she was a professional. "Now it's my turn" the Kanto teen attempts to mimic Serena.

From the side, both Bonnie and Clemont could easily see Ash was a little to enthusiastic. Sure enough, on his first attempt, the trainer overshot his landing, and jumped over the Pokémon. On the second attempt, he undershot the landing, causing his leg to strike Rhyhorn's side. Needless to say, Rhyhorn jumped a little, causing the trainer to fall.

"Looks like there's a trick to climbing onto a Rhyhorn" Clemont sighed. He is glad he isn't the one attempting to ride a Rhyhorn.

"Either way, it's no fair that Ash gets to hang out with a Rhyhorn" Bonnie complained. She loved being surrounded by Pokémon. Seeing Ash up close to one they normally don't interact with made that much more jealous.

After a few practices, Ash finally manages to mount the Pokémon correctly. After receiving numerous congratulations, the trainer feels ready to move on. What Ash didn't notice however was the fact that he lightly tapped Rhyhorn on its side by accident when climbing on top. "Woah, hey there now" Ash quickly let's out, as the Rhyhorn he is on begins to flail around.

Immediately, Serena has some advice for her friend. "Ash, close your mouth, you could bite your tongue" she calls out, hoping her friend at least heard her. "Don't think of yourself as a passenger, think of yourself as a part of Rhyhorn" she begins to say. "Become one with Rhyhorn" she finds herself repeating her mom's advice. Suddenly, it dawned on her. Her mother was simply trying to teach her the proper racing technique. If she could become one with Rhyhorn as her mother would say, it would be nearly impossible to fall off.

Unfortunately for Ash, he was doing his best to follow Serena's advice. Sadly however, he couldn't keep up with so many instructions while trying to regain control of his partner. With only half his attention towards Rhyhorn, he is launched to the side, falling off of his partner Pokémon.

Clemont and Bonnie both flinched. Even though they were on the side, it was painfully obvious that had to hurt.

Not being the one to give up so easily, the trainer stands up and brushes himself off. "So what do I do once I'm up there?" he asks, wanting to know what to do. The next time he mounts the Pokémon, he wants to have an idea of how to ride.

One thing that surprises Serena, despite knowing better than anyone about Ash's never give up spirit, is the fact that he truly lives up to it. She was worried he could've been serious injured. Thankfully that wasn't the case as he felt ready to continue with the lessons. "Well, to get Rhyhorn to move forward, all you have to do is lightly tap his side with your foot" she demonstrated, by lightly tapping her foot on the side.

The three see how Serena masterfully handles herself on top of Rhyhorn. "That's so cute" Bonnie squeals.

Hearing the compliments from her friends, Serena feels more comfortable being on top of the Pokémon. "And if you want to speed up" she quickly stops herself when she hears Rhyhorn make a strange noise.

Not quite obvious to Serena, the group saw the Rhyhorn begin to lift up its two front feet. He began flailing back and forth. "Serena" the three call out, worried about their friend.

Serena holds on as best as she can. Being shook violently from side to side, her grip slips, causing her to be launched from the back of Rhyhorn. Landing on the ground, she takes a moment to realize she isn't in too much pain. Just some scraps and bruising but nothing serious. "Ouch, that's the worst fall I've had yet" she lets out. However she felt the ground around her shake. Glancing around, she sees a group of Rhyhorn all around headed her direction. Unable to move, she sits and waits for the worst, hoping it isn't too bad.

Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie were worried for their friend. They instantly jump into action and run towards the group of Rhyhorn. They stop however when they hear laughter. "Stop it, that tickles" they hear from their friend.

Taking a closer look, they see Serena being licked from the Rhyhorn surrounding her. "No fair, Serena gets to play with all those cute Rhyhorns" Bonnie complains in jealousy. She too wanted to join the fun. In fact, why wait. She ran towards the group of ground types surrounding her friend. Like Serena, she too was greeted warmly. "You're such a cutie" she hugs the nearest Rhyhorn while sitting next to her friend.

Both Clemont and Ash walk over towards the pair. They were both keeping the ground types some company. From the looks of it, they seem to enjoy the presence of the two. "It seems Rhyhorn just wanted to play" Clemont points out. Their intimidating size made them seem otherwise. At least he felt more comfortable around them enough to allow Bonnie to interact with them.

Taking a closer look at the Rhyhorn nearby, Serena begins to wonder if her mother's Rhyhorn was simply trying to play as well. Shaking away those thoughts, Ash would need as much practice as he could get before tomorrow. "Let's get to it" she stood up, ready to coach her friend once again.

The Kanto teen put up no resistance. He was more than eager to continue practicing.

* * *

Off in the distance, Team Rocket were stalking the group of friends. True to their word, they would resume their attempts to capture their favorite electric type. "What's the twerp up to now?" Jessie asked, rather annoyed by the Kanto native. He was always up to something. Perhaps that's why he was always a step ahead of them.

"It seems he is attempting to learn to ride a Rhyhorn" James mentions. If he could remember correctly, Rhyhorn Racing was a big event in the Kalos Region. Looking around, he notices the track, as well as other riders practicing. "Why yes, it is Rhyhorn Racing" he exclaims. "It's been a while since I've seen one" he casually mentions.

"So how do you know so much about this?" Meowth asks. James' wealthy background led them to strange places in the past. The normal type was hoping they could avoid such a situation. After all, every single time his family was involved, they would usually try to force him into an arranged marriage.

"Let's just avoid the Parfum Palace if we can" James replied. If they could stay away from such a place, perhaps he could stay in Team Rocket.

Avoiding a strange subject, the trio begin to plan how they are going to round up so many Rhyhorn. Knowing the main twerp, he would probably have Pikachu with him when it's race time.

* * *

A few hours pass by as the sun begins to set. Ash has greatly improved with his Rhyhorn training. Thanks to Serena, he was now able to mount the ground type, and begin riding around. After getting comfortable, Serena had him do a few laps around the nearby track, to get him used to the rough ride during the race. Feeling he has had enough practice, Ash and Rhyhorn return to the other ground types. "Thanks a lot Rhyhorn, we'll win that race for sure" Ash talked to his partner before heading towards his friends.

Watching Ash walk towards them, they were all shocked by his progress. "Even though Ash had a hard time, he never gave up and is actually going to race tomorrow" Bonnie stated. Even though they could all be considered friends, there was still much they had yet to learn about each other. "He's incredible" she praised.

"He sure is" Serena realized just how quickly Ash made progress. It wasn't that Ash wanted to be the best Rhyhorn racer that allowed him to advance at a rapid pace. It was his ability to get along with his partner Pokémon. He bonded with any Pokémon he could and worked together to accomplish whatever task they are trying to do.

Looking back at it, Serena only begins to see where Ash's real strength lies in. "I've been looking at everything the wrong way" she begins to reflect on her past experiences. Thinking back to her training with her mother, she begins to wonder if Rhyhorn was just a playful Pokémon this whole time. Either way, she figures out why her friend is as closer to his Pokémon as he is. Whenever he trains with them, they all want to do their best simply because they know their trainer would do more than his best. Serena releases her fire type, much to her surprise as well. "Hey there Fennekin, still tired from earlier?" she greeted her starter.

The fire type yawns as she walks towards her trainer. Serena picks up the small fire type as it makes itself comfortable in her arms, as she begins to rest. The Kalos teen feels the same. One thing she noticed however is how much closer she felt to her starter. It's as if their training session earlier helped them learn a few things about each other. Perhaps that's why Ash loves to train with his Pokémon.

Like Fennekin, Bonnie begins to show signs of fatigue. "Are you tired Bonnie?" Clemont checks on his sister. Fortunately for him, he knows his sister all to well. "Let's go put you to bed" he leads his sister towards the nearby Pokémon Center. "I'll see you guys inside" the older sibling states, heading off with his sister next to him.

Approaching Serena and Fennekin, the Kanto native sees just how tired the duo were. It was no surprise, considering the training session they had earlier in the day and racing practice. "Thanks for everything Serena" Ash began. "Thanks to you, I can actually compete in the race" he proudly stated. If anything, his victory would also be his friend's victory.

Serena was slightly embarrassed by Ash's kind words. She simply smiled. Although she had to admit, despite changing her opinion of Rhyhorn Racing to a more positive one, she still disliked the sport. With that in mind, her thoughts returned to her dilemma. Another day has gone by, and she still has no clue as to what she wants to do.

"Is something bothering you?" Ash asks, seeing something was indeed bothering his friend. If anything, he remembers he was going to talk to her about the strange mood swings earlier in the day.

"It's nothing serious Ash, it's just" she paused for a moment. Would her friend think she was overreacting or being to dramatic over something so trivial? Only one way to find out. "It's just, I still have no clue what my goals are for this journey" she admitted. Everyone around her had a goal they would like to accomplish except her.

The Kanto teen could see how that would bother anyone. She probably felt lost without any direction to go towards. Worst yet, she probably felt she was letting down her Pokémon apart from herself. "No need to worry" he smiled at his friend. "These things take time to figure out" he let out. If anything, these things take time to figure out. Imagine getting stuck doing something she didn't like, all because she rushed her decision. "Just remember, never give up until the very end" he gave her a thumbs up and a cheeky grin.

As much as she wanted to complain, Ash had a point. Although she had to point out, as long as she has known Ash, he has always seemed to know what he wants. He loves Pokémon, so it made sense he would love everything there is to them.

With the dark sky quickly approaching, the two head inside. Ash would need his rest if he was to compete in the race the next day. Fortunately for Serena, while everyone was asleep, she had a chance to sneak away from the group. She released her fire type, how was wondering just what she was up to. "I need you to keep me awake if I start to fall asleep" she asks a favor from her starter.

Fennekin was a bit confused as to what her trainer was up to. As late as it was, shouldn't they have had dinner a long time ago. "Fenn?" the Fox Pokémon had a confused look. She saw Serena open an oven and place a tray inside.

"Shhh" the Kalos teen silently motioned. "Let's keep this a secret between us" she stated. The only hope she had is that they were delicious when they came out.

* * *

Morning time arrived as Ash was preparing for his big race. The trainer was with his Pokémon and friends, enjoying a rather large breakfast. He figured he would need all the energy he can get. "Look out everyone, Pokémon Master Ash Ketchum is participating" he was pumped for the race. His Pokémon agreed as well.

Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena however were rather surprised by Ash's outburst. This much excitement was normal for the teen, but during battles. He must be looking forward to the race if he felt more confident than usual. "You sure seem ready for the race" Clemont commented on his odd behavior.

"I had a great coach yesterday, so there is no way I can lose" he confidently let out. Although he meant it as a compliment to Serena, he failed to notice the effect his words were having on his friend. "My victory today is our victory" he turned towards Serena.

The Kalos native was slightly embarrassed. She only gave him some tips and tricks and nothing more. Ash did the rest simply by practicing non-stop. "Well a victory is difficult to achieve if you don't make it to the race in time" she noted the time.

With the trainer realizing it was time to leave, he recalled all his Pokémon and headed towards where his Rhyhorn partner rested. As he was preparing for the race, a familiar person walks in to greet the racers.

"Good morning everyone, my name is Salem and I will be the host of this race" a familiar twin announces. Scanning the room, he instantly recognizes one of the racers. "I'm just here to let you all know about the rules before we start" he said while also acknowledging Ash's presence.

At the view area, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena sat in a designated area for spectators. While one may wonder how they can view the race, they saw a giant monitor with cameras set in different areas of the track. This allowed them to view the racers. "Come on out Fennekin" Serena lets out her Pokémon. This was an excellent time to bond with her starter.

"Mind if I join you guys" a familiar blonde approached the group. With her, were the same two Lucario as before.

Clemont made some room for the blonde roller skater. Her Lucario managed to squeeze into the space next to her. Unfortunately for the other Lucario, he had to set on the other end. At least he would have a chance to examine the other blonde with the Fennekin on her lap some more.

"I thought you were going to host the race" Bonnie leaned over her brother's lap to clear up any confusion.

"A friend of mine is" she clarified. "He's well-known so you may know him" she informed the group, surprising them. "His name is Salem" she mentioned, hoping they would know who she was talking about.

"Does he have a twin brother?" Bonnie asks, still leaning over her brother's lap. If Korrina didn't sit on the other side, she could've asked without crushing her brother's legs.

Korrina nodded. She was right when she said they probably knew him.

From the stands, they see the person in question. "Welcome everyone to the Rhyhorn Race before the main event tomorrow" Salem greeted the crowd. He announced the rules of the race and explained the course. Salem took the time to explain the cameras and what to expect. "And now, will all the racers please line up" he signaled the riders to get ready.

Seeing all the racers lined up and ready, the Kalos native started the countdown. With one fell swoop of his arm, the race began.

From the start, all the racers immediately began fighting for the lead, with one notable absence. Ash having trouble, trying to get his Rhyhorn to quit flailing around. "Not again" Serena sighed. She should've expected this. After all, this was Ash's first race. Perhaps he was too eager, which caused Rhyhorn to become a bit restless.

Clemont and Bonnie were simply hoping their friend could get his partner under control. If he had any chance of winning, he would have to do it quick.

With the race underway, a stray Inkay appears above the nearest camera. "We're ready when you guys are" a blue haired man stated.

"Blind the camera's when you're ready" a purple haired woman responded.

"Inkay" the psychic type began to spread ink on the camera lens, rendering them useless.

From the stands, the group of friends notice something is wrong. For one, the monitors were being blacked out one by one. "This could be trouble" Clemont states, figuring it was probably the work of someone they encountered back at the gym.

The three friends left the stands to find the source of the problem. Joining them was Korrina and her two Lucarios. "Let's spread out" Serena figured that was the best way to find Ash. Considering the race track was rather small, it shouldn't be a problem finding them.

Halfway into the race, Ash notices the track is rather empty. He begins to wonder if he took a wrong turn or missed anything. "Do you see anything buddy?" Ash asks Pikachu, who was riding with his trainer.

The electric type's ears begin twitching. He hears a sound from above. "Pika" he jumps off of Rhyhorn, avoiding being caught by a net. "Pika pi" he cries out to his trainer, who wasn't as quick to react as he was.

"What the, what is this?" Ash demanded to know while doing is best to break free of the net.

"Prepare for trouble, we're taking Rhyhorn"

"Make it double, you have been warned"

"To protect the world from devastation"

"To unite all people within our nation"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love"

"To extend our reach to the stars above"

"Jessie"

"James"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight"

"Meowth, that's right"

"Woobbbuffett"

"Team Rocket" Ash angrily lets out. Although they were allies for one day, it was no surprise they returned to their old ways soon after. "You guys just don't stop" he comments.

"That's right, and we're here to collect all of these Rhyhorn" Meowth throws a cube at Ash's partner. The cube expands, surrounding the ground type in a light. The light transforms itself into a metal cage, which then connected to the remaining Rhyhorns.

"Yoink" James manages to capture Pikachu in a net while they were distracted by Rhyhorn.

Immediately, the Team Rocket trio split up. Jessie and James are in the traditional Meowth Balloon. Meowth on the other hand takes control of the cages with the Rhyhorn. He begins driving off with the ground types. "And that's the way the cookie crumbles" he says, as he begins to drive off.

"Hey, come back here with Rhyhorn and Pikachu" Ash yells, struggling to set himself free of the net.

Seeing the Kanto teen in the distance, Meowth drives forward, thinking they were finally successful against the teen. As he is driving, he notices the ground begin to shake more that usual. He quickly checks to see if the Rhyhorn are rattling around. Seeing them calm as ever, the ground collapses beneath them. "Now what" he begins to inspect the pathway.

"Bunnelby, use Mud Shot" a command was heard from the woods.

A normal type Pokémon surfaces from the ground, using Mud Shot on Meowth.

"Ugh, I've seen better days" the Scratch Cat Pokémon lays on the ground for a moment. The attack left his dazed.

From the woods, Clemont emerges. "Made it" he huffs. He was just glad he made it in time.

Ash was delighted to see his friend nearby. "Ash" he saw both Bonnie and Serena approaching from behind.

Up above, Jessie and James notice the car Meowth was driving has stopped. They begin to wonder what was taking him so long. They lower the air balloon to get a better view. "Oh no, it's the twerps" the duo let out. The land the balloon to help out.

"Inkay, let's finish this" James let's out his Pokémon once again.

"Wobbuffet, make yourself useful" Jessie let out her Pokémon as well.

While both Jessie and James' attention was directed at the trainers, Clemont jumps into the basket of the balloon. Seeing Pikachu was tied up, he decides to free his electric type friend. "There you go, now let's get out of here before we blast off like Team Rocket" Clemont climbed out of the basket. Pikachu followed, seeing as how he didn't want to be sent flying off as well.

While Bonnie was untying Ash, both Korrina and Serena step towards Team Rocket. Although she met them on good terms, Serena could see why her friends were warning her about the trio. "Fennekin, use Ember" she called out.

"Lucario, use Aura Sphere" Korrina let out as well.

The fighting type hit Inkay, causing the psychic type to crash into a tree. "Inkay" James cried out. The force of both the Aura Sphere and crashing into the tree were enough to knock him out.

"Wobbuffet, deal with the twerp" Jessie seemed almost uninterested in the incoming Ember attack.

Sure enough, Wobbuffet easily redirected the attack back towards Fennekin.

Never dealing with such a tactic, both Serena and Fennekin were paralyzed. They were both unsure of what to do. Either way, Serena preferred her Pokémon to not be injured. She ran towards her starter type and stood in front, with her arms in front of her. She hopes they the attack wouldn't hurt too much.

The other Lucario took note of Serena's actions. While noble, they were only going to end up hurting themselves and others. "Raa" he used Bone Rush to repeal the attack. Looking back, he noticed the blank stare the trainer was giving him. Deciding to end the threat, he rushed towards Wobbuffet with great speed. He unleashed another Bone Rush attack, causing the Pokémon to crash into its trainer.

Jessie was lying on the ground, along with Meowth and Wobbuffet. Looking up, she sees that the main twerp has been freed from his trap. That and Pikachu too. "Oh no, not again" she says, seeing the trainer stand up, with his electric type on his shoulder.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt" Ash commanded.

The electric type leapt into the air, in order to be able to reach all of Team Rocket. "Pikaaachuuuuuu" he unleashed his most recognizable attack.

Taking the attack directly, an explosion ensues the rocket trio. They were launched into the air. "Better than being attacked by a bunch of Rhyhorn" Meowth lets out. He would rather be sent flying as opposed to being tackled.

"That's the last time we help when you're in trouble" both Jessie and James yell. Had they left, they could've at least had Pikachu.

"We're blasting off again" the trio shout out.

With the threat of Team Rocket over, the friends work to release the captured Rhyhorn. Officer Jenny arrived after the group managed to release all of the Rhyhorn. "Is every one here alright?" Salem finally shows up. Being the host of the race, he had to make sure the spectators were taken care of first.

"A few scraps and bruises but nothing serious" Ash comments. The trainer was rather busy dusting himself off. Thankfully his hat was fine.

As Salem was busy sorting out the mess created by Team Rocket, Serena was busy admiring the Lucario who had helped deflect the Ember. There was no doubt he was an exceptionally strong Pokémon to say the least. "Thanks for saving us back there" she let out. She couldn't describe it, but she felt some odd connection to the fighting type, despite how creepy he was the day before.

"Looks like someone found a new Pokémon" Korrina startled the trainer who was in a trance.

"Huh" Serena jumped. "I can't take Lucario from you" she waved her arms. Besides, she wasn't sure she was even capable of being the trainer of a strong Pokémon like Lucario.

"Joking aside, this Lucario doesn't have a trainer, and he seems to have taken interest in you" Korrina admitted.

"Why me?" she questioned herself. After all, she had no goals, nothing to work towards. Why would anyone or any Pokémon be interested in her?

"Everyone okay?" Salem approached the two.

Their attention was redirected from Lucario to Salem. "We're fine" both Serena and Korrina replied.

With the race canceled due to Team Rocket, everyone involved headed back to the starting line. "Well Korrina, thanks for your help" he began. As much as he wanted Serena to come over to his palace tomorrow, he knew he would have to invite all of the group. "As much as this event was ruined, the main event is tomorrow" he let the group of friends know.

They were slightly confused by what he meant by main event. "Is it a battle or another race?" Ash was already looking forward towards the main event.

Salem was annoyed by the outburst. "No, I'm talking about a grand celebration" he began. "We're going to celebrate the coronation of a new king of the Kalos Region tomorrow" he stated.

Out of kindness, the group accepted the invite. "I didn't even know we had a king" Clemont noted.

Both Serena and Bonnie sweat dropped. They could say the older sibling lived under a rock for him to not know about the king. Either way, they would witness a new king tomorrow.

"No need to worry Clemont, I didn't either" Ash let out. Obviously, someone from a different region wouldn't know.

Both Bonnie and Serena couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Despite all the troubles they may have faced, together, they can conquer them all.

With their laughter under control, Serena pulls out a bag of cookies, presenting them to Ash. "Whether you won or lost, these are for you?" she stated. "I saw how hard you were working so I made these the night before" she blushed. She was rather embarrassed to admit it was for all those times Ash has praised her skills as a coach.

The Kanto teen grabbed the bag. Opening the bag, it revealed it to be cookies. "Don't mind if I do" he rapidly began eating them. Unfortunately, he began choking on the cookies.

"Pika pika" the electric type sighed.

"Ohh" Bonnie groaned. "Ash is the only one that gets cookies" she complained.

Not wanting her friends to be out of the celebration, she hands both blonde siblings a bag of cookies as well. "And thank you two for being such awesome friends" Serena admits. With people like these three around, she could look forward to the future, despite not having any particular goals to strive for.

* * *

 **Haha I have to admit, it might be a little easy to see where the writer's block got to me. It was towards the end. I had the first half of the chapter done and I was completely happy with how it came out. It took me a rather long time to write the second half and I'm kind of meh with it. Oh well. I did what I could. All I know is I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter. Anyway, let's read some messages from other readers.  
**

 **ultimateCCC - I could make him even smarter, but I'd rather have him develop into that over the course of the story. But I honestly didn't think I made him childish to begin with. But thanks for the feedback, I'll keep this in mind as I'm working with his character.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Hey man, well thanks for staying up to read lol. I stayed up a few night to write as well so I can't blame you lol. If anything, it is currently 2:02 am at the time I am writing this, so I'm right there with you. The seeds of self doubt are definitely being planted. Well by now they are probably growing lol. Joking aside, thanks for the kind feedback. Being I rewrite, it's kind of hard to write at times simply because I begin thinking how can I switch it up. Then I remember how this story differs from the original and bam, I have a rewritten chapter lol. There are plenty of directions I could definitely take with Lucario too and I have one in particular. It's a completely different approach from the original, considering Lucario is a battler, as you noted. Anyway, I have to get on to the next reader lol.**

 **Amourshiper35 - Well hopefully you will enjoy these next few chapters. While this isn't an amourshipping chapter, I will tell you the next one will be. So I look forward to you're feedback for the next chapter.**

 **Guest 1 - Bring it on with the Pokken Tournament lol. I do understand your concerns about Froakie and I do see your point of view about Chimchar as well. I figured that Froakie can simply keep winning because he hasn't faced anything that is truly pushing his limits. Now that battle with Quilladin, yeah, I will admit I did stretch it quite a bit there. So I'll be more careful in the future as I'm writing. Again, thanks for letting me know I'm going past an acceptable limit.**

 **Guest 2 - Noted.**

 **Ooobserver - Hey man, great seeing you again. Sorry to disappoint, but this chapter was probably a miss on the Rhyhorn race lol. I did my best to keep amourshipping to a minimum. That's for the next chapter lol.**

 **Guest 3 - I've heard about the comparisons to Naruto. I've never seen it myself so I'll take your word for it. And Ash Greninja could be a while lol. But when the time comes, I'll be sure to make it as interesting as I can.**

 **Guest 4 - Uhmm sure lol. Don't mean to be rude there so sorry about that first comment. I won't spoil this aspect of the story for you. And the Ash Greninja theme, I think it's great. Considering how it's a different version of the XYZ theme, and Ash's voice actor sings it, it is very fitting for them.**

 **Guest 5 - I plan to implement something similar this time around as well. Obviously it's going to be different so I'm still planning it.**

 **Guest 6 - I might have had a typo somewhere or forgot to add something to my profile page about the Pokemon's description. But in Froakie and Fletchling's Test chapter, Fletchling uses Steel Wing and Razor Wind. I'll go back to check any mistakes I've made. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.**

 **Guest 7 - Sun and Moon isn't bad in any sense of the word. He may be less mature, but he is still a capable battler as in XYZ. My main problem with Sun and Moon is it isn't for me. Initially I loved Sun and Moon a lot more than XYZ, simply because I found this version of Ash hilarious. One scene that made me like Sun and Moon more than XYZ is episode 5, when the Bewear was running on water to catch Team Rocket. I never saw that coming. But after a while, the anime became repetitive rather quick, and this is coming from someone who has seen Ash collect eight gym badges over and over.**

 **Thanks again for reading. I do apologize for the weak ending of this chapter. But I promise this won't be the case with the next chapter. I know because I'll have the person who helped me flesh out the ideas of the chapter check it before I update. And in case I haven't made this clear yet, it will be an amourshipping chapter.**

 **One more thing, thank you guys so much for making this rewrite more successful than the original. On my traffic stats, this is the first month where this story will have more readers by a long shot. That's been a goal of mine since I began the this rewrite. So thanks again to everyone.**

 **Next Chapter: The Parfum Palace Twins**

 **Until next time.**


	12. Failure

**Hello there good readers. I'm back with another one of Red's letter chapter. It's interesting really. I found a source online a few years back detailing Ash's childhood before he became a trainer. In it, was Ash's father. While they never show him, they do mention him and Ash's grandfather a lot. Anyway, I'm getting way off topic. Please enjoy this short chapter.**

* * *

 **Failure**

 _When did this all go wrong? I was there when your mother gave birth to you. I clearly remember the day you decided to ride Rapidash on your own. To say the least, your mother wasn't too happy with me that day. Then there was the time you attended Professor Oak's summer camp. It's no lie when I say this is a small world. I remember the time when Grace came over to visit for the first time. Your mother and I had no idea what to expect to say the least. Then we heard about how you helped Serena. Who knew you two would be friends all over again._

 _Sadly, this isn't a reality I can face. Despite being happy with having a family, I simply wanted to become a trainer. I remember meeting your mother long ago. We fell in love and soon after you came into this world. I clearly remember the joy you brought into our lives. Even my father was happy to meet his grandson. Life was perfect or would be if not for one problem. I had an insatiable desire to become a strong trainer._

 _One day, that desire became too strong leading up to my departure. Even my father decided to join me. Despite your mother's protest, we figured the next time we met, I would become a force like the world has never seen. Like my relationship with Delia, it all went south, failure after failure. I ruined what could've been a great relationship between us, simply for the pursuit of glory. I can't believe how naïve I was then. I gave up everything when I decided to pursue my own career without my family by my side._

 _Here I am today, with Pokémon any trainer would love to have as partners, and yet, I am a failure. The truth is, I never became as great as I had hoped to become. I still don't know how your mother handled the situation after I left, but she seems to have done an amazing job. Every tournament you participate in, win or lose, you walk away smiling brighter than ever._

Setting his pen down, Red looks to the wall next to him. He has kept track of Ash's league participations. Like himself, none of the participations has resulted in anything meaningful. Sure, he has won the Orange League and defeat all of the Frontier Brains at the battle frontier, but he had yet to win an actual Pokémon League. The most recent notable feat he has accomplished was defeating a Darkrai at the Sinnoh League.

"We're about the same, and yet, different" Red begins to wonder. Having some more thoughts, he begins to write once more.

 _I will be lying if I said I don't envy your positive attitude. It certainly has been the one of the driving forces in helping you advance. Either way, I myself am actually looking forward to the future. Even though I have no right to be a proud father, I'm hopeful you will achieve what me or your grandfather ever could. To help, I decided long ago to avoid you at all costs. I would hate to see your bright smile disappear, simply because of me._

* * *

 **When I read the Ash's past before he began his journey a while back, I was surprised to learn it was much darker than anyone could've guessed. I'm not going to spoil anything right now since all of his past before becoming a trainer is what is helping me write these Red's letter chapters. But I do want to write them in a way that once pieced together, they will give a rather broad sense of what Ash was dealing with in his younger days.  
**

 **I do apologize, but I won't be answering reviews in this update. It's been a while since I release a Red chapter, so I decided now was a great time. That and I'm having trouble finding the time to write the next chapter. But with regards to the next chapter, there are two shippings I hope to push. There is another one, but that I will leave up to the readers to decided if they wish to see it continue. I won't give any spoilers so you'll just have to wait till then lol.**

 **Thanks again for your support. Until next time.**


	13. Alain

**Hey guys, I'm back from a rather long break. I do have to apologize for such a long silence. Rather than bore you all with the details up here, I'll do it in the author's notes at the end lol. While this wasn't the next chapter I was planning to release, I'm not done with the other one just yet. So I wrote this one ahead of time, to let you all know I'm back. Anyway, enough with my rambling, let's get to the next chapter.**

* * *

 **Alain**

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw" a trainer ordered his flying type to charge at his opponent. The Flame Pokémon soared through the air quickly closing the gap.

From the sidelines, a trainer holding a grass type watched the battle between her friend and one of the members of the elite four. "Wow Chespie, Charizard trusts Alain" she noted the fire type's weakness to water. Despite that, she has heard from her friend how he wishes to be the strongest trainer along with his Charizard.

"Ches ches" the grass type cheered on Charizard as well.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump" Siebold ordered.

The water type aimed its cannons at his opponent, unleashing a torrent of pressurized water.

"Counter it with Flamethrower" Alain had a counter planned out.

For a moment, the fire type managed to hold off the effective attack, creating a steam that blocked both trainer's visibility. However, Charizard's trainer hadn't planned for the Hydro Pump attack to be significantly stronger than his Charizard's Flamethrower.

"Raaa" Charizard grunted as the Hydro Pump pushed him out of the cloud of steam. He was breathing heavily, doing his best to regain his composure.

Noting the difference in power, Alain knew he would need to step it up a notch. "Mega-Evolution" he began Mega-Evolving his Pokémon.

Charizard was surrounded in a light as he powered up. A few seconds later, a blinding light reveals a blue Charizard. "Looks like Alain plans to win this" Maron noted, as a gust of wind cause her to hold on tightly to her Chespin.

Impressed by their strength, Siebold watches as a gust of steam and wind fly around them. Before them stood a pair that had complete trust in each other. That is what it meant to be a Mega-Evolution trainer. It was clear Charizard had complete trust in his trainer's judgement as much as Alain had in his partner's strength.

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw" Alain ordered.

Once again, the now dragon type began rushing towards his opponent much faster than before. In an instant, he closed the gap striking the water type. Unfortunately for the duo, Blastoise stood his ground, not moving even an inch. "Huh" Alain was shocked by the results of their attack.

"Alain, I can see that you and Charizard are on a path towards greatness, but the road forward is going to be a challenging one" Siebold spoke up. He revealed his key stone, begin the mega-evolution process as well. "Now this is where the real battle begins" a Mega-Blastoise emerges from the blinding light.

Alain quickly recognized the threat the powered-up water type posed. "Quick, use Flamethrower" he ordered, in a desperate attempt to finish the battle.

Siebold watched as the attack simply made contact with his Pokémon. The flames surrounding the water type became another gust of steam. The elite four member stood still as the steam rushed by him. The power of Mega-Charizard and his trainer was simply incredible. This teen has a long way to go, but he can one day reach greatness if he keeps at it. "Blastoise, use Hydro Pump" he order with his opponent close by.

Mega-Charizard was knocked back towards his trainer, crash landing at Alain's feet. "Raa" the dragon type cried out in pain. Although the attack wasn't as effective if he wasn't Mega-Evolved, the sheer force of the attack was enough for him to stay down for a good bit.

"Charizard, are you okay?" Alain asks his fire type. If they planned on becoming the strongest Mega-Evolution users, they would need to be able to defeat anybody in their way of their goals.

Luckily for the teen, Charizard managed to stand.

"Hooray, Charizard is back up" Mairin cheered for her friend. Despite the dire situation he was in, they both managed to continue the fight.

Also surprised to see them standing, Siebold has to acknowledge their love for battling, They sure had heart. "Alain, I must thank you for this wonderful battle, however all good things must come to an end" he announced. "Blastoise, use Dragon Pulse" he ordered.

The water type aimed his arm and back cannons at his opponent. With a clear shot, he launched his attack, sending it with incredible speed towards the dragon type.

Before Alain had a chance to react, the attack had reached its mark.

Charizard did his best to resist the attack. Unfortunately for his, due to the nature of the attack and the force of it, he wasn't able to withstand the attack. "Charizard, is unable to continue, the winner is Siebold of the Elite Four" the referee announced.

From the sideline, Mairin watched on as her friend recalled Charizard. "Oh shoot, but you have to admit, Alain sure is something else" the young trainer pointed out. Despite his loss, he went up against one of the elite four.

"Chespin ches" the grass type agreed. More than anything else, he was glad they had a friend as strong as him around. Who knows just how much they can learn from someone like him around.

With the battle over, Siebold had a few words to share with his opponent. "That's a great battle I had, but you have a long way to go before you can reach your dreams" he harshly started out. "But based off this battle, keep working towards your dreams, and one day you'll get there" he let out.

Alain thanked the elite four member. He figured he would need to continue his training to reach the top. With that, he recalled his Charizard and headed towards the exit, ready to plan his next move. "Alain wait" Mairin ran after her traveling companion.

"Ches Ches" the grass type called out as well, help his trainer get their friend's attention.

Cracking a smile, Siebold watches the duo leave. Despite his cold attitude towards certain things and people, this was all an act. It's obvious to him even Alain is a compassionate person by nature. Hopefully his friend can bring more of that compassion out to allow him to grow as a person.

A few minutes go by before Alain decides to acknowledge his unwanted friend. "You're still following me?" he asks, hoping she would get the hint to leave him alone. He wishes to train with Charizard to grow stronger and nothing else.

"You, I just wanted to say great job out there, I really liked watching you battle" Mairin huffed, as she tried catching up with the strange teen. Despite his cold attitude towards her, he was the one that taught her to catch Pokémon by catch Flabébé for her. That and he does seem to care if her and Chespie are never in any kind of danger.

"Well thanks for that but I'm not quite as strong as I need to be so there's no need to get hyped up for nothing" he did his best to curb her enthusiasm. "After all I lost" he added, in case she somehow ignored the outcome of the battle. With that, he could only keep training until he made it to the top with his Charizard.

Not one to let her friend go so easily, "That may be true, but you seem to know what to do next" she pointed out. What was impressed her the most was just how driven he was to reach his goals. He simply wishes to become strong for other's sake, despite what he says. "Mind helping Chespie and me out too" she smiles. Hopefully they can all enjoy the rest of the day rather than watch Alain work himself to exhaustion like the last time he faced off against another strong trainer.

Annoyed by the request, he would hate to brush her aside as if she wasn't there. Still though, taking a few hours off shouldn't have any negative impacts. "Just be careful okay" he let out. There was plenty to watch out for when working with these two. The main thing he worried was their clumsy nature. The two tend to get into strange situations rather quickly.

Finding a clearing in the forest, the Kalos teen releases his fire type. Being well rested after their battle, they figure they should go easy on the training. "Let's work on aiming" the teen said. With trees surrounding them, they had plenty to practice with.

Alain, for the sake of the forest, simply had Charizard blow small embers. They would burn themselves out before hitting their mark, but still reach their target to say the least.

Mairin and Chespin on the other hand were attempting to perfect the grass types aim with Vine Whip. "Come on Chespie, it's like this" Mairin threw a rock at the tree they were both aiming for. Unfortunately for her, she too seems to have missed. "Well shoot, we're never going to be able to catch Pokémon on our own if we can't get our aim right" she complained.

Even the grass type seems to be a bit depressed by their lack of progress.

Watching his two companions, Alain knows the feeling of being weak all too well. When he finally found a Charizardite, it was in the hands of Lysander. He challenged the orange haired man to a battle and was beaten beyond belief. Luckily the older man offered to guide Alain towards his goals as they both aligned with each other. Either way, he too could offer a bit of help.

As Mairin and Chespie constantly missed, they noticed their friend approaching. "Hey there Alain, looks like we're getting the hang of it" she smiled, hoping that they would at least hit once in front of the Kalos teen.

Amused by their training, he figured he should guide them. "If you want to improve your aim, repeat after me" he instructed the two, immediately gaining their attention. "Close your eyes" he continued, watching as the two followed his lead. "Tune out everything but your target" he had the two picture the tree they were attempting to hit. "Now open your eyes, and calmly take aim" he prepared the two. "When you're ready, fire away" he let the two go.

With her focus solely on the tree, Mairin's goal was simply to hit the tree. Slowing her breathing, she envisioned herself swinging her arm, and hitting the tree. "That's it, you got it" she heard her friend call out. Waking up from the trance, she realizes she wasn't dreaming.

"You mean to tell me I hit it?" she was in disbelief. However her excitement was cut short by Alain, who had a finger against her lips, silently telling her to quiet down. She saw he was pointing towards Chespie, who was also attempting to hit the tree with his vines.

Concentrating on his target, Chespie unleashes a Vine Whip, hitting the tree as well. "Ches?!" the grass type was surprised he hit his mark as well.

"Way to go Chespie" Mairin runs to her starter, congratulating him on his success. Unfortunately for the two, they failed to notice the effects of their training.

"Look out" Alain lunged at the duo, shielding them from a barrage of Pin Missiles from Beedrill, who were disturbed.

The two were shocked by the teen's actions. Because of them, he was taking the brunt of the attack. "Let's keep moving" they heard him say. Strange as it was, he seems to be unaffected by the attack.

"Raa" the fire type simply intercepted the attacks with a Flamethrower, careful not to harm the bug types. The four continue to flee the hoard of bug types chasing them.

"Barrier" they heard another voice call out.

A psychic barrier was put up between them and the incoming bug types, allowing them to relax for a moment. "That should keep them away for a bit" he said.

Looking at the person who helped them, Alain immediately recognizes the man as someone he battled earlier. "Good seeing you again Red" the Kalos teen greets the man.

Red faces the teen. He too seemed glad to run into the teen. "Hey there Alain" he greets in return. With the Beedrill giving up on the group for the moment, they return back to their tree. "Looks like it's safe to let the barrier down" Red says to no one in particular.

Out of thin air, Mewtwo appears. He quickly puts down the barriers shielding them from the outside.

Seeing the psychic type that they battled the last time, Alain only has one thing on his mind. "Care for a rematch?" he quickly challenges Red to another battle.

Despite their differences in strength, Alain had Red's attention. The teen was fearless to say the least. "You have heart" he commented. "Let's see if that heart has taken you to greater heights since our last encounter" Red accepts the challenge.

Watching from the sidelines, Mairin and Chespin were more than happy to watch their friend battle once again. "I wonder how much different their battle will be this time around" she hopes her friend's hard work will pay off. Either way, she knew this was another battle she would enjoy.

"Mewtwo, Mega-Evolve"

"Charizard, Mega-Evolve"

The two engulf the field in a blind light.

"Looks like we're starting the real battle right from the start" Red comments.

* * *

 **I'm not quite sure how quickly Red would've finished off Alain, but it probably wouldn't be a fair battle to say the least lol. Aside from that, unlike the original story, Alain will play a major role in this version. Him, along with the twins and Ash will serve as the four main characters. And by main characters, I mean characters that will have significant contributions to the plot.  
**

 **Well now it's time to talk about my absence. Long story short, it was my last semester in school. I was more than busy to say the least. But thankfully that's all behind me and I'm all settled down at the moment. With that out of the way, I did manage to use some of that time to plan the future of this story and think about the direction I wish to see it go. But that's enough about me, this let's read some reviews from the readers.**

 **Guest 1 - Will do**

 **Guest 2 - Unfortunately no. After graduation, I've had to relocate and settle down in another city for my new job. Thankfully that's all out of the way, which leaves me with more time to write. But I'll be sure to get a Nintendo Switch soon so whoever wants to battle in Pokken Tournament with me can. But thanks for asking.**

 **Guest 3 - You're telling me lol. Sometimes it's hard coming up with random strategies that Ash would use in a gym battle.**

 **Guest 4 - Yes, in fact, I have planned for some of his other Pokemon to make appearance as well, but nothing major.**

 **Guest 5 - Thanks for your patience. If I had to say who are Ash's three top rivals, I'd say Alain is number 3, Gary number 2 and Paul number 1.**

 **Principal Oak - Weedle you see I finally updated lol.**

 **Bosma17 - Pokemon from other regions will return, but they will not be traveling with Ash. I want to focus more on his Kalos team more than anything else.**

 **Ooobserver - I was just as surprised as you were when I stumbled upon it. It's a bit strange, but they do mention a lot of missing information. I won't spoil it here lol. But I will be retelling through Red's letters. And thanks for understanding about the difficultly for finding time for writing. Sometimes you just have to put it aside to finish more important things. But at the end of it all, I too want to continue for my readers who have supported me.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Hopefully all these small chapters will create one big picture once I'm done with them all.**

 **Amourshiper35 - Thanks for that. I'll do my best to continue piecing together a larger backstory.**

 **ultimateCCC - Let's see if Ash will be the one to break it.**

 **Guest 6 - The games weren't too clear if Kings and Queens in the Kalos region are still a thing. If they are, I'm going to assume they don't hold much power. But they do make it clear that Lysandre is a descendant of the ancient Kalos King.**

 **Ooobserver - Hey there again lol. Writer's block is indeed a writer's worst nightmare. But thanks for seeing the chapter for what is really was.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajarm - Hey there again to you too lol. We both know why I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter. But I do have to say, thanks for seeing the chapter for what is really was, a filler. Again, writer's block isn't a fun thing to experience.**

 **Amourshiper35 - With the group as diverse as they are, you can count on them learning from each other.**

 **ultimateCCC - At the moment in this story, Serena still doesn't realize her feelings for Ash just yet. She's simply riding that nostalgia wave but reality is about to set in lol.**

 **Well guys, thanks again for your patience. I'm still working on the Parfum Palace Twins chapter at the moment. I'll have it read by my "beta" reader soon enough. Until then, thank you all so much.**


	14. Parfum Palace Twins

**Well hey guys, I'm back with the latest update. Yeah I know, it took me a bit more time than I wanted to, but the world cup is currently taking place so that is a bigger priority for me. Well that and some recovery time lol. I'll explain myself below, for now, please enjoy this next chapter.**

* * *

 **Parfum Palace Twins**

"It's high noon" Ash attempted to shield his eyes from the sun that was currently baring down on them. Normally his signature cap would've done the job, however his electric type friend was currently using the cap. He wondered if it would offer any protection from the mid-day sun.

"We would've been there sooner if you hadn't tried to lead the way" Serena playfully argued with the Kanto teen. Had they listened to her instead, they could've avoided the blinding sun. Thanks to Ash's stubborn attitude, they were arriving later than expected.

At a closer glance, an entrance way of some sort was appearing in the distance. "We're getting close" Korrina points out, much to the happiness of the rest of the group. She knew just how hectic the preparations at the Twin's house would be. Thankfully Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena were more than happy to let the hyperactive teen and her two Lucario join them for a short while.

Stepping through the rather fancy entrance way, Serena discovers they are on Route 6. "You know, for a thick forest, this place is actually kind of nice" Serena notices just how well kept the scenery is. She wonders just why hasn't Shauna ever talked about this path. Then again, she has never mentioned Calem. She had to find out about the guy simply by luck of running into him. Unfortunately, it wasn't all lucky either, considering the other twin's attitude. It was obvious that he had a crush on her. Sighing, she figured she would have to fend him off soon enough.

At the end of Route 6, an enormous structure revealed itself to those emerging from the trees. The massive gates allowing entrance to the palace were open for guest. "What's up Jeffery, I see they have you here greeting guest again" Korrina casually greets the butler by the gate. She introduces the group to the butler and explains how they were all invited by Salem himself.

Although he trusted Korrina, as a formality, he had to confirm with the twin if the guest Korrina was bringing along were allowed entrance.

While the group were waiting, they were approached by a strange Pokémon. The Pokémon started growling at the group, almost as if it was warning someone. "Get away from them Furfrou. You'll get an upset stomach from eating trash" a young girl around the same age as Bonnie said aloud. The group saw a young girl wearing a purple dress with orange-reddish hair that ran down her side in curls.

"That wasn't very nice" Bonnie began scolding the girl her age.

As much as Serena wanted to join the younger blonde, the girl was a little to young for her to get mad at. Despite her bratty attitude, she had to admit, her Furfrou was well groomed. Still, she wouldn't give that brat the satisfaction that someone admired her Pokémon.

The young girl began observing the group. Paying close attention to Ash's shoulder, she saw exactly what she wanted. "Hmm, how much do you want for Pikachu?" she began asking in a rather forceful way.

Instantly, the Kanto trainer was horrified by the idea of selling his best friend. "You can't be serious" he immediately replied. There was no way his best friend was for sell.

Annoyed by the trainer's stubborn attitude, the girl had an idea. She snapped her fingers and, in an instant, some maids came out with a chest on a rolling cart. "You can have all this if you leave Pikachu with me" she opened the chest, revealing the enormous wealth she was offering for the electric type.

Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina could hardly believe what they were witnessing. Sure, they knew Ash wouldn't sell Pikachu, but there was a lot of gold, necklaces, and plenty of other valuables. As far as they knew, this was probably the most they will ever see in their lives, at least in such a short amount of time.

"You can forget it" Ash closed the chest, flat out refusing the offer. There was no way he was going to sell his starter Pokémon, a fact that Pikachu greatly appreciated.

Disappointed that the thought of being filthy rich wasn't enough to get a hold of the electric type, she decides to use a different approach. "How about we battle for Pikachu?" she throws out another plan.

The group could easily see that this young girl was persistent to say the least. Although it's obvious someone needs to get the idea of owning Pikachu out of her head. "Listen now" Clemont began. "A strong bond with a friend isn't something you can sell" he motioned towards Ash and Pikachu. "These two have a deep bond that can't be broken, so you might as well forget about it" he sternly scolded the girl. After all, it was Ash that showed him first hand, just how important friends are.

"Don't you think you're being a little too harsh on her" Korrina said, seeing the older blonde sibling was oblivious to the teary eyed young girl. Unfortunately for Clemont, even Serena and Bonnie agreed. Sure, she was bratty and a bit spoiled, but there are less harsh ways of getting your point across, especially to someone who was as young as Bonnie.

Turning towards the girl, the gym leader was about to apologize. "I've never had anyone talk to me that way" the curly haired girl began. "The fact that you yelled at me means you actually care about me" she reasoned. It was refreshing to know there are people out there that would treat her just like a normal person, despite her status. "Say, would you like to be my date for tonight?" she asked the Kalos teen, blushing at the thought of having someone as caring as him around.

Reacting rather quickly, Bonnie did her best to pull away the young girl from her brother. There was no way she would allow someone as young as she was, take care of her brother.

It took a great effort to keep Serena from laughing at the irony in the situation. She knows Bonnie is doing her best to find Clemont a girlfriend. Now here is someone who is practically offering to be said girlfriend, and Bonnie disapproves. "Dene nene" the small electric type begins to help as well.

Seeing the struggle between the three, Korrina decides it is best if she acts. If nothing else, she finds amusement in the very thought of what she is about to do. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Clemont here is my date" she pulls the gym leader away from the spoiled girl, surprising everyone. She couldn't say that she was surprised by everyone's reaction. Oh well, at least it got that young girl away from him, for the moment at least.

"Glad to see everyone could make it" Salem greets the group as he is walking towards them. "I'll take it from here Jeffery" the twin says, implying to his butler that they were indeed invited by him. Hearing no objections from his butler, he assumed they were all free to go. "So, I see you met my sister, Princess Allie" he formally introduced the girl who was causing them a lot of trouble as he led the group inside the Parfum Palace.

"Princess? As in Kalos royalty" Serena and Bonnie let out, shocked to discover this troublesome little girl was the princess of the Kalos Region. "So that means" they both concluded. Despite the king being a public figure, his family was unknown to the Kalos Region. Only a select few knew the identities of the royal family.

Salem nodded, confirming their suspicions. He was one of the Princes of the Kalos Region. "Although Calem and I are twins, since he was born first, only by a few minutes, he is next in line to become king" he reveals the reason for such a grand celebration. "Obviously a date isn't required to such an event, but it is preferred" he stated, loud enough for a certain someone to hear.

Hearing about the preference for people on a date, both Korrina and Clemont agreed to be each other's date. Although they made it clear to each other, they were simply going as friends. That and hopefully that would be enough to keep Princess Allie from forcefully marrying the gym leader.

Despite the friendly nature of their date, Serena couldn't help but to smile at her two friends. For a quick-thinking solution, the two do seem to click rather nicely. Seeing the two interact, it is obvious they are still trying to get comfortable with the idea of going on a 'date.' Seeing Bonnie and Dedenne with the two only made the moment seem more special. Then again, she was probably looking way too much into the situation. Turning towards Salem, the Kalos teen sees him approaching. This is going to be uncomfortable to say the least. Maybe she could latch onto Ash's arm like Korrina did with Clemont.

"What do you say Serena?" the blonde teen was surprised to hear those words from none other than Ash. It was clear as to what he was referring to, but she wanted to be sure.

"What do you mean?" she asked, hoping Ash was asking her to be his date.

"We're the only two without one, so why not?" he held his hand out, giving her a cheeky smile.

"Uhh" Serena stuttered. She felt her heart beating slightly faster than usual as her face began to heat up. " _This can't be real, can it"_ she found asking herself, even if he did just see it as nothing more than a friendly date. As much as she wanted to say yes, she found herself a little too nervous to immediately respond.

Salem saw the hesitation as a rejection. "Now's my chance" he began inching closer, aware of his brother and Shauna approaching the group.

"Here's an idea, just say yes" Shauna startled her friend, causing her to nearly fall over onto Ash. "He's offering his hand, not a hug" she continued to tease her best friend. The more she messed with her friend, the redder Serena's face became. It was amusing to say the least.

From where he was standing, Salem had a difficult time believing what he was witnessing. He was sure Serena would've rejected the teen. " _Looks like this rivalry just got more intense"_ he told himself. The twin thought his status as a prince would surely help win over Serena. " _Next time I won't fail"_ he mentally noted. Had he been a bit quicker to ask, he probably would've been the one with Serena.

"Sure, it should be fun" Serena shyly replied, not wanting to ignore her friend. Despite knowing it was more of a friendly date, she had to admit, she was looking forward to the celebration. Wanting to shake away the embarrassment, "So where's your date?" she asks sarcastically, as if she already didn't know. More than anything else, she wanted to show her friend she was more than capable of finding her own date too.

"Here he is" Calem appeared out of thin air, waving at the group. Immediately, he began greeting his friends.

"Congratulations, I hear you're going to become the new King of the Kalos Region" Ash casually lets out, while greeting the prince.

Calem waved off the gesture. "It's nothing really" he replies. "We're just for show nowadays since we have no real power" he humbly admits. More than anything else, he would like to be treated as if they were true friends and nothing more. Thankfully Shauna did just that.

"You mustn't forget my dear Calem" three men approached the prince. "While we have no real power, we still play a vital role here in the Kalos Region, and that is to uphold the traditions we hold dear" the short man of the three stated.

The group see three men standing before Calem. One of them is a rather short man addressing the prince. He had a red coat with a purple undershirt and blue pants. Judging by the crown, it was obvious he was the king. Despite his frail appearance, he clearly had a strong vibe associated with him.

"Everyone, I want you to meet my dad, Lord Shabboneau" Calem introduces the king to Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena. "And this is my uncle and a prince of the Kalos region as well, Lysandre" he introduced the taller orange-haired man to the group as well.

"It's great to see everyone again" Professor Sycamore greets the group of friends, being the third person they saw.

Instantly, Clemont recognizes the taller orange-haired man. "You're the Lysandre" Clemont begins. "You're the owner of Lysandre labs, inventor of the Holo Caster" he personally greets the orange-haired man. "As a fellow inventor, I look up to you" Clemont admits. He never would've expected to meet someone he holds to a high standard any time soon.

Kalos' greatest inventor appreciated the praise. "If you want, the next time you're in Lumiose City, come take a tour of my lab" he offered the gym leader. The world needed more people like him around.

The Lumiose native quickly accepted the offer.

"I almost forgot" Professor Sycamore gets the group's attention. "These weren't ready until just recently" he pulls out two Pokédex. He hands one to Serena and the other to Ash. "I apologize it took this long" he stated. "But I had none left to give when you two came by" he admitted. "Thanks to Lysandre however, these two are the first Pokédex of their kind, and I would like you two to be the first to use them" the professor said.

The two teens thanked the professor. "I apologize for our sudden departure, but we have to get Calem ready for the ceremony" Lord Shabboneau began. "But please, join us for the celebration, I'll make sure Jeffrey reserves a table for all of you" he lets the group know. With that, the three men plus Calem leave.

Seeing as how this would more than likely be a formal event, Serena begins search for any stores on her navigator. Perhaps she could go shopping with Korrina and Bonnie. "You know, if you guys need something to wear, we'll be more than happy to lend you some clothes" Salem noticed the group probably didn't have anything for such an event.

Not wanting to be the only people underdressed for such an occasion, they all took Salem's offer. "I know where to go so don't worry about us" Shauna led the girls. Leaving the her two Lucario with Ash and Clemont, the group of girls Bonnie followed the brunette. Considering how close she was to the prince, Shauna figured they wouldn't have any issues if she led them around the house.

With their friends going off in a different direction, Salem led Ash and Clemont towards a room where they could place their belongings for the day. "Feel free to try on anything you would like" the twin left the two alone with the two Lucario as well.

Emerging from the changing room, both Ash and Clemont wore near identical outfits. They both wore Khaki dress pants and dress shoes with a white button up dress shirt. They even wore a Khaki belt and suspenders. The subtle difference between the two however were noticeable. Ash wore a black tie while Clemont wore a black bow tie.

Also joining the two guys were the two Lucario. Despite being Pokémon, they also found something to spice up their usual appearance. The two went the simple route like Ash and Clemont and simply wore a black bow tie as well. "Let's go see if the others are ready" the four head off to find their friends.

* * *

With the girls, they were nearly done changing. Despite her brother having a date she didn't set up herself, Bonnie knew the date between Korrina and Clemont was friendly and nothing else. If anything, she was doing Clemont a favor, by keeping away that spoiled princesses. "So Dedenne, think I'm ready for this party" Bonnie asked her electric type.

Korrina and Serena couldn't help but to admire just how adorable Bonnie looked in her dress. The dress itself had a purple top half, a white bottom half, and a yellow collar. "Fenn" the fire type also agreed with the other two.

Serena had an idea to help complete the outfit. "Perfect" Serena took a step back. She placed a red bow in Bonnie's hair.

"Thanks so much" the young girl jumped with joy. She too admired Serena, someone she has come to slowly see as an older sister. She saw the brown dress with a white long sleeve underneath seemed to fit her well. She loved the brown bow above her waist as well as the red bow above her chest. Even more stunning was her hair. Serena tied two slightly braided pony tails with brown bow ties. Matching her red bow was Fennekin, who also wore a red bow on her head.

"I think it's time to go impress our dates" Korrina said, as she headed for the door. Unlike her friends, she went the simple route. She wore a yellow dress to match her hair. Like Serena, her hair was rather impressive to say the least. The two have only seen her with her long pony tail. Now however, she decided to let her hair down. Despite the length of Korrina's hair, it is a thing of beauty when seen in its natural state.

Walking to where they were separated, the two teens wait for their friends. The two began looking around for any signs as to where to head next after they reunite with the other three. "It sure would be easier if they at least told us where to go after" Clemont admitted. Still though, could be worse.

Turning to find an exit, the two spot their friends. Despite the nature of their date, they had to admit, they found their dates rather stunning. "Hey guys, looking great" the girls approached the two. They were surprised to see just how well Ash and Clemont could dress themselves. They assumed the two teens would be oblivious to formal dress. Thankfully, that wasn't the case.

Both Ash and Clemont gave each other a fist bump. "At least they approve" Ash lets out. They were both worried they would either over dress or under dress. "Looking great" Ash gave Serena a thumbs up, causing the Kalos native to turn away in embarrassment.

"Thanks again for saving me from Princess Allie" Clemont thanked his friend. "You and Bonnie are looking great" he complimented the two on their appearance.

Even the two Lucario received complements on their bow ties. A little extra effort went a long way to impress.

As if reading their minds, Salem appeared once again. Thankfully he was more than mindful of the group. "The ceremony is about to begin, I'll lead you guys to your table" the twin stated. Understandably rushing, the twin sat the group and rushed off towards the palace.

Once seated, the group noticed they had a rather amazing view of the balcony overlooking the palace. Looking around, the area was filled with guest of all ages. What stood out however were two statues. Only was of a black dragon and the other of a white dragon. "It's starting" Bonnie pointed out, interrupting the groups gaze from the statues.

From the balcony, Lord Shabboneau, Lysandre, and Professor Sycamore were the first to appear. Behind them stood the twins, Princess Allie, and Shauna. "Ladies and Gentleman, guest of the evening, thank you all for joining us on this special occasion" the King was the first to speak. "We are gathered here today to present the next king of the Kalos Region after I step down from power today" he iterated. "As part of the royal family, our duty to the Kalos Region is to safeguard the legends and help lead the region towards a prosperous future" the king explained their role to the Kalos Region. Lord Shabboneau stepped aside to let his brother address the audience.

"Many of you may know me as the CEO of Lysandre Labs" the orange haired man announced. "But as a prince of the Kalos Region, and direct descendant of the ancient Kalos King, I have done all that I can to bring smiles and preserve the beauty of Kalos" Lysandre spoke of his goals. "Today, my brother and I pass down this responsibility to the next generation of the rulers of Kalos" he stepped aside. He motioned for the twins to step forward. "And now today, we pass on this responsibility to the next generation" Lysandre presented the twins as the next rulers of Kalos.

Lord Shabboneau kneeled before Professor Sycamore, who removed the crown from his head. Walking behind Calem, he places the crown on the next king of the Kalos Region. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is our new king, Calem" the professor announced.

The crowd erupted into cheers, congratulating the new king. "Who's going to be our queen?" was the most prominent question being heard from the crowd.

From the table, Serena had some trouble holding back a smirk. Clearly, she knew who the queen would be. "Don't mess this up Shauna" she thought to herself. Although she was slightly upset that her friend wouldn't at least introduce her to that special someone, if she was happy with him, Serena figured she would have nothing to worry about.

Standing to address the crowd, Calem looks to those present. "Today, I stand here as the new king of the Kalos region" he began. "I understand my duties, along with my brother, is to help the region prosper. Although we hold no real power ourselves, I want to be of service to my people. That is why today, I'm announcing my intentions to conquer the Kalos League and challenge the elite four" he announced his plans. "This isn't some attempt to bring the power we once held back home, I simply want the Kalos region to know they have a strong king alongside them" he briefly explained. "I have a vision for Kalos, an ideal region that I hope to work towards with everyone" he let out, stepping aside.

Salem took his brother's place to address the crowd as well. "Like my father and uncle, both of them worked tirelessly to bring smiles to the Kalos region. I hope to accomplish the same, with the king by our side" Salem announced. "I want to know what the true source of happiness is for those living here and help everyone find their true happiness" he let's out, motioning for his brother to join him.

While the crowd were cheering the twins and giving their full support, many in the audience began reflecting on their goals. The twins were inspiring to say the least. "Looks like Calem is going to be my rival. As a future Pokémon Master, I would love to battle the king" Ash let out.

Judging from what the teen said, his goals were clear. "I too want to bring smiles to everyone around me and become an inventor like the world has never seen" Clemont added.

"Well I hope to one day take my grandpa's place and help trainers that are trying to learn the proper secrets of Mega-Evolution" Korrina states her intentions.

"Dedenne and I will become partners once I'm old enough to be a trainer" Bonnie hugs Dedenne, looking forward to her future.

While everyone at the table all had something they all wanted to work for, Serena was the exception. She was thrilled for her friends to say the least. But at the same time, she felt a loneliness that the others would never understand. It was as if she was drifting away in the ocean, with no way to know which direction was towards land. The very thought of having nothing was more than enough to bring down her cheerful mood she had earlier in the day.

Observing the teen next to him, Lucario noticed a rather depressing turn in Serena's mood. Despite the weak smile she gave her friends, it was clear she was feeling lost. Everyone around her had a reason to wake up everyday and continue to reach for their dreams. The empty and lonely feeling was something he understood all too well.

"And now, to commence the celebration, we shall have a feast to everyone's content" Lord Shabboneau announced. Immediately, the butlers began delivering food to the tables. While the guests attention was elsewhere, Calem and Salem followed their father back towards his room.

With what seemed an endless amount of food coming their way, one person at the table was eating rather slowly. She was currently contemplating what exactly was next for her. Her friends at the table were all working towards their own dreams. The twins made their life goals clear as well. From the looks of it, even Shauna may have already found something to look forward to.

Like the teen next to him, Lucario had a rather tough time eating. Unlike Korrina's Lucario, he felt himself drawn towards the lost teen. Despite the hopeless feeling he sensed in her, it was obvious she wanted better. She was currently struggling to find her identity, something he has lost, long ago.

Looking over to his 'date', Ash noticed Serena was rather quiet. Throughout the day, she has had quite a few mood swings. "Everything okay Serena?" he asked out of concern for his friend. Even Fennekin began to take notice of her sudden mood swings.

Serena quickly put on a cheerful face. "Sorry there, I was just lost in thought, is all" she smiled, hoping to brighten the mood. Seeing how happy Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina were currently with each other, she would hate to bring everyone's spirit down.

Despite putting on a rather cheerful smile, it was clear to the Kanto teen that something was indeed bothering her. It seems the mood swings was just her trying to cover up something.

* * *

Outside of a doorway, Shauna stood by, waiting for her friends to emerge. She figured the three were have a serious conversation about being king or something along those lines. After patiently waiting for what seemed an eternity, she heard the double doors open. Before she could say anything, she noticed the puffy red eyes on the three of them. "Are you okay?" she asked the three, hoping there was something she could do to help.

As much as Calem hated lying, and to his dear friend Shauna of all people, even she was one of those that had yet to realize his father's true condition. "Yeah we're fine, dad just gave us a very heart-warming speech" he wiped away any lingering tears. Ignoring her for a moment, it was time to address the crowd.

Whatever their dad told them, it definitely moved the three to tears. She reminded herself to ask about it later. For now, it was the King's turn to speak.

"Attention everyone" the newly crowned Kalos king gathered everyone's attention. "In just a few moments, we have a special presentation to kick off the celebration" Calem announced. "I would like to introduce everyone to the current queen of Pokémon Showcases, Aria and Braixen" a trainer with the fire type appeared before the guests. "She's her to give a one of a kind Showcase" the king stated.

"Who's Aria?" Ash wondered aloud. Judging by everyone around him, it seems she was quite famous.

"She's the current Queen of Pokémon Showcases" Serena answered. Obviously, she wouldn't expect her friend to know such details. After all, he was more interested in battling if nothing else.

From their table, they see the showcase queen and her Braixen dance on stage. With the twirl of a stick, the fire type created a rope-like stream of fire. Aria simply danced her way towards Braixen. Reaching her Pokémon, the two began dancing together once again. Grabbing the stick from her tail, Braixen engulfed the duo in a vortex of fire, stunning the crowd. In a sudden burst, the vortex dissipates, revealing the duo.

The crowd was simply dazed by the stunning performance they witnessed, despite being rather short. Serena especially was paying close attention, something her friends noticed. As Ash was about to comment on Serena's interest, an announcement comes on. "And now we have a special treat" Calem announces. "We will hold a Pokémon Battle tournament, were the winner will receive the honorary title of King's Knight" the king informed the audience.

Immediately, Ash decided he would enter the tournament. "Ready to be the King's Knight buddy?" he looks towards his trusty electric type.

"Pika pika" Pikachu lets out electric sparks. He was more than ready to battle.

Serena could only stare as her friend jumped at an opportunity to battle. "Sure would be nice if I could get excited about anything" she placed a hand on Fennekin's back, who was sitting on her lap.

The fire type simply lays her head down, rather sad. There was nothing she could do to help her trainer out. If only she was a little better at battling. Perhaps then she could give her trainer a reason to smile.

Lucario once again sensed a certain level of despair in the Kalos teen. Even Fennekin was beginning to become engulfed in such a sinking feeling.

Ash and Pikachu head towards the balcony to sign up. Meanwhile, Korrina looks to Clemont. "Aren't you going to sign up?" she asks, curious as to why he wasn't joining. After all, he did an excellent job repelling Team Rocket the day before.

"I would, but as the Lumiose City Gym Leader, I feel I shouldn't participate for that reason" he gave off a cheeky smile, hoping he didn't sound arrogant. "What about you? Surely with Lucario by your side, you can definitely win" he asked her the same question.

Like Clemont, she too gave a cheeky smile. "I'm actually training to become a gym leader myself" she stated, surprising the siblings.

"Oh cool, another gym leader!" Bonnie let out rather loudly. She noticed Korrina motioning for her to not reveal her secret just yet. "There's another gym leader" Bonnie whispered to Dedenne.

The three were about to ask Serena to keep Korrina's secret as well, but they noticed she was rather spaced out. She was staring at Ash, but in a rather strange way. Not in a happy lovestruck way, but a rather blank soulless gaze. "Everything okay Serena?" the Lumiose teen asks, slightly worried.

Once again, Serena quickly shook away any stray thoughts. "Sorry about that, I was just thinking" she replied, hoping she didn't worry her friends too much. "I'm going to go watch Ash battle" she stated, as she got up and left towards where their friend was.

"Fenn" the fire type frantically followed her trainer. Despite not being with her trainer for too long, it was obvious she wasn't her normal self. Judging by the reactions of those around her was more than enough reason for the fire type to worry.

Approaching where trainers signed up for the tournament, she bumps into a blue haired girl. "Sorry there, I wasn't watching where I was going" the blue haired girl apologized as she walked off.

Noting the strange interaction, she hears a friend of hers calling from above. "Hey Shauna, what are you doing up there?" she asks. Its clear why she was up there, hopefully she would say something.

"Well come up here and I'll tell you" Shauna smiled nervously. As much as she wanted to avoid this particular subject, she felt it was only fair if her dearest friend knew the truth.

Serena figured her friend was inviting her to watch the tournament from a better place. Either way, it would keep her mind off her lack of goals. She navigated her way towards the brunette. "Let me find out you're here to confess some deep secret" she jokingly stated while nudging Shauna with a wink.

As much as she knew her friend was joking, it was a now or never moment. She figured if Serena found out from other means, she wouldn't be too happy. "Actually, that's exactly what I'm here to do" she stared at the ground, knowing full well her friend's gaze was on her.

Instantly, Serena felt a pang of guilt. Shauna was trying to reach out for support and here she was mocking her. The Kalos teen motioned for her to continue. "Well, let's go somewhere where we can watch the battles at least" Shauna led the way towards a more private place that allowed them to still watch the tournament.

From the balcony overseeing the battle field, the two friends watch as the twins are organizing the trainers. "From the looks of it, Ash is up first" Shauna commented. He looked quite enthusiastic about it from her vantage point.

"Why am I not surprised?" Serena slowly begins to realize just how little Ash has changed since they have known each other. However, they were there for one reason. "So what's up Shauna?" she asks, ready to support anything her friend may have trouble with.

Instantly, Shauna had a hard time bring up what she wanted to talk about. "Oh nothing, it's been so long since we've actually hung out, I just figured we have time now since our guys are down there" she casually mentions.

Something Shauna said gained Serena's interest. She figured her brunette friend would attempt to tease her. However, "Our guys?" Serena was curious by her choice of words. It's obvious what Shauna wanted to bring up, but had a hard time. "Well I honestly never would've expected you to be after a king" she lightly joked. Despite not knowing much about the twin, Calem seems to be like a down to earth person.

The brunette teen let out a small tear. "I wish I would've told you sooner" she quietly let out, covering her face with her hands in shame. This whole time, she saw keeping her friend a secret as a cute and mysterious way of keeping Serena guessing. However, she does deeply regret not sharing such information with what she considers her best friend.

Seeing her friend crying, Serena always knew how to cheer her up whenever she began sobbing. "I think it's me who's going to be crying out of joy at your wedding" she wrapped her arms around Shauna. "Now let's watch the battles" she calmed her friend down.

Observing from the balcony, they realize they missed Ash's first battle. Thankfully, him and Fletchling managed to defeat another trainer who had a Fletchling as well. "Ash sure is something else when it comes to battling" Shauna noted, trying to get her mind off of her long kept secret.

Still watching the battle below, they see the Kanto teen has chosen his starter as his next partner. From the opponent's side, they see and Pokémon with a similar appearance to Fletchling, only bigger. Serena takes out her Pokédex for more information. " _Flechtinder, the Ember Pokémon and the evolved form of Fletchling._ _From its beak, it fires embers at it's prey. Once it has caught them, it grills them at high heat before feasting upon them. It will not tolerate other Fletchinder entering its territory, which has a radius of several miles"_.

The two watch as the battle rages down below. One thing Serena notices about Ash is his unpredictable battle style. She has never payed much attention to it, but he never uses a certain strategy to win. If she had to guess, he battles in the moment, rather than come up with a plan beforehand.

* * *

After a few minutes, Ash manages another victory. "And once again, Ash seems to be unstoppable at the moment" Salem address the crowd. Despite not liking the idea that the Kanto teen was taking the girl of his dreams, he had to admit, Ash was a competent trainer. However, with only one more battle left before being able to claim the title of King's Knight, he knew it was going to be an uphill battle for either trainer. "Last battle will be between Astrid and Ash" the young prince announces.

The two let out their Pokémon they planned to use. The blonde trainer let's out an Absol, who had what appeared to be a mega stone. "Charizard, I choose you" Ash let's out his fire type.

The two witness the both Ash and Astrid charge with intense fury. They both had every intention to win the title of King's Knight. Only one however would win. "Mega-Evolution" they watch Astrid begin the mega-evolution process. Responding to the change in pace, Ash also begin the mega-evolution process.

"Looks like the battle is going to take another twist" Salem announces, as the blinding light settles down, revealing two powered up Pokémon.

"Mega-Charizard!" Bonnie cheered. It's been a while since they have last met the blue Charizard, and she was certainly enjoying just how strong he appeared to be.

With the young blonde, Korrina and Clemont also look on as Ash begins battling with his dragon type. "As a fellow gym leader, Ash is going to give us a hard time if we brings out Mega-Charizard" Korrina points out. Despite also having the power of mega-evolution under her control, just by watching the Kanto teen battle, she knew he would give her a run for her money.

Clemont on the other hand is slowly beginning to realize there is no way he would be able to give Ash a proper gym battle in his current state. Even though he wants to become a bit more like his friend, he has a long way to go before he is there. " _Looks like I'll have to try even harder"_ he wonders to himself.

After a few minutes, both Serena and Shauna have finally joined the rest of the group. Just in time as well. "Charizard, finish this off with Flamethrower" they heard Ash call out.

The dark type was unable to defend himself against such an attack. "Absol is unable to battle, the winner is Ash and Charizard" Salem announced the results of the battle.

The crowd cheered the results of the battle. It sure was a fitting battle for the title of King's Knight.

The two friends watching from the balcony join their friends, who were all congratulating Ash on his newly acquired title of King's Knight. "Awesome battle out there Ash, can't wait to see more" Korrina was the first to acknowledge his victory. Just observing him and his Pokémon, it's obvious this was no ordinary trainer. If anything, that Mega-Charizard of his sure is going to be a challenge.

With the Kanto teen receiving praises for his hard fought battle, there was one more surprise of the teen. "Well Ash, now that you're the King's Knight, your next surprise is a battle with the king himself" Calem said aloud.

"You're on" Ash immediately responded before the crowd even had a chance to react. Seeing as how another battle was imminent, the observers quickly clear the battle field.

From opposite ends, both trainers were ready to begin the battle. "I would like you all here one last time for one more battle" Salem announces. "This battle will be between the newly crowned king and the newly appointed King's Knight" he begins to hype up the surprise the battle. "Will the king reveal his Pokémon" he asks his brother to reveal his partner.

"You're up Chesnaught" the young king reveals his partner for the night.

Instantly, Ash recognizes the grass type. However, he was much smaller than the last time. "Will the King's Knight reveal his partner for this event" Salem asks Ash to unleash his Pokémon as well.

The Kanto teen knew who he wanted for this battle. "Froakie, I choose you" he calls on his water type for this battle.

The surrounding crowd question Ash's choice. Why would he purposely put himself at a disadvantage, especially when he had Pokémon as strong as Charizard.

"Ash sure is something else" Shauna commented. From the looks of it, he was going to choose his water type no matter who their opponent was.

Raising both arms, "battle begin" Salem announces the start of the battle.

"Froakie, let's start this off with Bubble" Ash was the first to make a move.

The water type began unleashing a barrage of bubbles, littering the battlefield with it's water type attack.

Despite the nature of the attack, Calem knew Ash was unpredictable as a battler. He would take no chances against this guy. "Disperse it with Leaf Storm" the king countered.

The fully evolved grass starter also unleashed a barrage of leaves. However, being stronger than bubbles, he simply cut through the attack, and took aim at his water type opponent.

Ash figured such an attack was bound to happen. "Use Cut" he instructed his water type.

Froakie carefully cut the barrage of leaves headed his way. Despite being able to fend off most of the attack, some of the leaves did make contact, leaving the water type quite exhausted rather quickly. "Fro" the starter huffed, trying to regain its composure.

The crowd watch began wondering if Ash had any idea what he was doing. He purposely put himself at a disadvantage and for what. "Let's go Ash and Froakie" Bonnie cheered the loudest for her friends.

Although concerned, Serena and Clemont had full confidence in Ash. After all, his battling stype was way too unpredictable to even begin guessing his next move.

"Froakie, charge in using Water Pulse" Ash stated.

" _This guy is unbelievably reckless"_ Salem thought to himself as he watched Froakie charge at his brother's Chesnaught. From the sidelines, his brother has yet to make any offensive move. _"So you're going to use that"_ Salem remembers the new attack Chesnaught recently learned.

Seeing the water type quickly approaching, Calem has his next attack ready."Use Spikey Shield" the king let out.

Chesnaught crossed its arms, putting up a barrier between and Froakie. However, this barrier violently launched green spikes from it.

"Frooo" the water type grunted, slowly getting up.

By now, Serena was tightly grabbing her dress without realizing. Her tense stare at the battle didn't go unnoticed however. "Likes like your boyfriend is in trouble" Shauna began teasing once again.

If this was any other time, Serena would've began to explain how she didn't see their friendship as anything other other than that. But as Shauna noticed, Serena was too invested in the battle before them to even care about her. _"I've never seen her so focused"_ Shauna begins to wonder why. Taking another look at Ash, She slowly starts to see what her friend sees. "Despite the current results, Ash looks more determined than ever" the brunette notices.

"Is it normal for Ash to begin glowing blue like that?" Korrina points out, tilting her head to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

From the opposite end, Calem sees the same thing as everyone. Froakie being surrounded by a blue aura could be explained. They figured this was his ability, Torrent, that had been activated. But why was Ash slowly being consumed by a similar blue aura as his Pokemon?

Feeling the sudden surge in energy, "Let's go in with Cut" Ash lets out. The water type forms a glowing knife-like object as he rushes towards his opponent.

Calem was at odds over how to react. Was Ash expecting a certain reaction or had planned a response to any counter or was he attempting to attack from close range? Either way, he figured keeping some distance would be best at the moment. "Repel Froakie with Leaf Storm" he had his grass type counter attack.

Without much thought, Froakie began slicing through the leaves like he did earlier. However, this time, both him and Ash were much more aware of their surroundings.

The crowd watch in amazement as Froakie masterfully makes his way through the Leaf Storm practically untouched. "No way" some in the crowd could be heard saying. "Looks like the King's Knight wasn't an idiot" others said.

With Froakie within striking range, Ash saw an opportunity to attack. "Use Water Pulse" he ordered. However, this attack was aimed at a much different target. Thankfully Froakie understood this as well without needing some more instruction from his trainer.

From Calem's perspective, was Ash suddenly a more predictable trainer? Or did he just learn how to read Ash? Either way, he would have to counter the incoming water type. "Use Hammer Arm" he ordered.

Chesnaught slammed his fist into the ground, expecting to hit the approaching Bubble Frog Pokemon.

The results clash kicked up a mixture of dust and mist, causing the visibility to be non-existent.

Looking around, Serena and Clemont had trouble seeing both Pokemon. In fact, everyone did as well. "Where could they have gone?" Korrina squinted, hoping to see any signs of the two.

Ash however had other plans. "Now Froakie, go in using Cut" he said while looking towards the night sky.

The crowd also faced the same direction as the Kanto trainer. "Ash, you sneaky little bastard" Salem chuckled under his breath. It seems that Water Pulse was used merely as a way to launch himself in the air. Impressive, considering he didn't even have to mention a single thing to his Pokemon. "Well Calem, looks like you finally found yourself a worthy opponent" the twin smiled. Unfortunately, that smile didn't last long. With both Ash and Froakie being surrounded by a much more visible blue aura, his suspicions began to flare up like crazy. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind for the time being.

"My goodness, Froakie is slashing away at Chesnaught" Shauna was shocked by the turn of events. Despite the disadvantage Ash seemed to have put himself in, he found a way to turn the tide of the battle. Suddenly, she wasn't sure who would emerge victorious. "At least you'll never get bored with him" Shauna nudged Serena, who was focused on the battle at hand.

Back to the battle, Calem was once again impressed by his opponent's unpredictable nature. However, he too noticed a pattern in their unreadable nature. "Chesnaught, use Spikey Shield" he ordered, knowing full well Ash and Froakie were too busy with their barrage of attacks to react quickly enough.

Sure enough, the grass type put up a barrier between himself and his opponent.

Froakie attempted to continue attacking, in the hopes that he was the faster of the two. "Frooo" he cried out loud, when he clashed with the protective barrier.

The water starter was launched backwards, laying on the ground. "Froakie is unable to continue, therefore the winner is the Kalos King" Salem announced the results of the battle.

As Ash recalled his Pokemon, the crowd began applauding the two trainers for a magnificent battle. "Ahh shoot, he'll get them next time" Bonnie let out, while patting Dedene.

Approaching the two, Salem congratulates his brother on the win. "I'm sorry to tell you this but the title of King's Knight is simply a title and nothing more" he turns towards Ash. "So this was probably pointless other than to pass some time" he calmly let out. Truth be told, this is a tradition both him and his brother agreed to start once Calem became king.

"No need to worry" Ash responded. "Although pointless, nothing we do is ever useless" he begins. "Everything we do will help lead up to victory at the Kalos League" he states, surprising the twins.

It seems the Kanto teen values every experience he receives. Either way, they would have to move on. "Well thanks for understanding" the king was grateful. "It's been a rough day to say the least, so thanks for making it a bit easier on us" he said, earning a few confused stares from his friends. Oblivious to the stares, the twin decides to continue on with his plans. "Well wait here for a moment and we'll get started with something for everyone" he cheered up. He ran off with his brother back towards the palace.

Not being one to be left behind, "Wait for me you two" Shauna did her best to catch up to the twins.

The group of friends return to their seats for the time being. After all, Ash just battled four times without any rest. "Well that was fun to say the least" he said as Pikachu climbed on his shoulder.

While Clemont and Korrina were busy congratulating the Kanto teen, Serena couldn't help but admire her friend once again. Despite the title of King's Knight being nothing more than a title, Ash still found a way to make the best out of the situation many others would probably find pointless. She mentally slapped herself out of such thoughts, This was a day of celebration.

Seeing the crowd awkwardly standing, the twins lucky had something planned right after to lighten up the mood. "Well guys, we thank you all for coming, but this is a celebration" Salem once again received the crowds attention. "Now let's all hear it for the new king of the Kalos Region" he said, with the crowd errupting into cheers. "Now let's all begin to party" they began playing music for the audience to begin dancing.

* * *

Some time goes by, as Lysandre and Professor Sycamore watch over the crowd. Despite how lively the celebration is, they knew they were too old for such activities. That and they failed to see what was special with the music the young ones were into. "Even though we're getting old, I do see some promise among these young ones" Lysandre says, looking towards Clemont from the balcony. Currently he was awkwardly trying to dance about with Gurkin's granddaughter. Shaking that thought aside, he made a note to keep tabs on that young scientist.

Professor Sycamore had to agree with his friend. The crowd of people did indeed show lots of promise in the young ones in the crowd, namely Ash. Despite the troubling sign between him and Froakie, the trainer seems to have rather strong bonds with those around himself. But he just couldn't get over the blue aura surrounding the two during their battle with Calem. If he remembers correctly, there was an ancient legend surrounding such a phenomenon. Keeping that in mind, he plans to follow up on that investigation some time in the future. "Well looks like the twins have everything under control" the professor states. Lysandre agrees as the two head back towards Lumiose City.

* * *

By now, a rather sizable circle has formed, involving the the twins, Shauna, Clemont, Bonnie, Ash and Korrina, along with their Pokemon. They were all taking turns coming up with some random dance move to impress each other. More than anything else, they found humor in their silly antics. One person who was left out however was Serena. Strangely enough, she was also sitting around with one of the Lucario.

Seeing how something was bothering her, Ash decides to approach her. But before he does, he asks Shauna a quick question before going over. "So I take it you're still tired" he said, knowing that wasn't the real reason behind her withdrawn attitude lately.

As much as she would love to keep up the tired act, she found it rather difficult to lie to her friend. "Truth is, I'm not sure why I'm even traveling" she slowly lets out.

Ash was certainly surprised to say the least. He wasn't expecting her to come out with her problem right away. But he couldn't blame her as well. Thankfully he had known about this beforehand. Sitting next to his childhood friend, he figured right now wasn't the time for such a discussion. But he still couldn't leave things they were for the time being. "This isn't something that you can figure out over night" he let out truthfully. "But this isn't something I'm going to let you go through on your own either" he stated, promising to help her find her own path in life.

Serena was rather confused by the Kanto teen. Sure he had unique ways of making things work out for himself, but she never would've figured he could help her in this aspect. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I should do this on my own" she feared interfering with his goals.

"Well how about we do some training tomorrow, I could always use the help" Ash asked, hoping she would accept his offer.

She honestly couldn't see anyway she could be of any help. But if it was Ash asking, she would do it. "Sure thing, but I guess I'll keep waiting for you guys here" she said, not wanting to leave her seat.

The raven-haired teen wouldn't have any of that. He grabbed Serena's hand, "Let's go dance" he offered, while smiling towards his date.

Almost in a trance like state, Serena was surprised by how direct he was. Shaking off any lingering worries she may have, the teen decides it's best to enjoy the night.

With the two hurrying away, Lucario keeps a close watch on the teen. It seems she too is in an unbreakable cycle of despair. Unlike the other Lucario, he decided to call it a night.

* * *

The night goes by as the celebration begins to wind down. With the music stopping, the twins have one more announcement. "First of all, thank you to all of our guests for coming and celebrating this day with us" Calem thanked the crowd. "But before you leave, we will have a fireworks display for those of you who wish to stay and watch" he announces before heading towards the palace.

Before leaving, the twins invited the group to the balcony to watch the fireworks display with all of them. "You may also help yourselves to some empty bedrooms for the night if you wish to stay" Salem stated, knowing it would be better if they stayed rather than set up camp.

With the group settled in, they all prepared themselves for the fireworks display. Meanwhile, Bonnie was doing her best to keep away that annoying princess from her brother. "Psst" Korrina got Clemont's attention. "Just hold my hand to keep Princess Allie away" she whispered, while looking away.

The Kalos teen awkwardly grabbed the gym leaders hand. "Uhm, hey you two" Clemont nervously let's out. "Let's all enjoy the fireworks" he said, as Korrina slowly raised her hand to show the princess they were 'together'.

"One day you will be mine" Princess Allie huffed.

Laughing at the display of jealously the princess had, Serena was glad her Ash asked her to dance. Although rather strange, she seemed to enjoy being surrounded by her friends. It sure helped her keep her mind off her troubles for the night. However tomorrow she would face whatever troubles were ahead of her.

"Hey look, it's starting" Ash broke the Kalos teen out of her trance. The two teens watched, as the colorful display disappeared as soon as they appeared. "Hey Serena" Ash gained his friend's attention. The blonde teen payed close attention to her friend. "I had a great time tonight" he shyly let out.

Serena had no clue how to respond, considering this was the last thing she expected to hear. She spent the whole day wondering if she would ever find anything meaningful in her life. And yet, here was Ash admitting to enjoying the day alongside her. "Well thank you for making today great too" she smiled, admitting his help was much appreciated. Without thinking, she casually lets her head slip onto Ash's shoulder.

* * *

With Shauna and Calem, the two watch the fireworks in silence. Calem was busy contemplating the thought of being king while Shauna was hoping to comfort her friend now more than ever. She could only imagine the kind of stress he would face once he gets settled into his role of king.

"Shauna" the king gets the brunette's attention.

The brunette looks up, only to be met my her friend's gaze. Trapped in a trance, she leans in not resisting any advances. In a swift moment, both her and Calem give each other a quick kiss as the fireworks go off, both figuratively and literally.

The family butler walks over towards the two love struck teens. As much as he hated to interrupt, he figured waiting would be the best course of action. "It seems one of your Pokemon has learned Protect" he said once the two had their small moment.

* * *

 **Well guys, there you have it. So far this is my longest chapter to date. Sadly I ran into a lot of trouble while writing it. One was school. Once that ended, I had to transition from school to adult life (fun I know right lol). That and I was involved in a little accident that left me with a few broken bones, again. It's funny because four years ago, I broke an arm and leg playing soccer before the world cup lol. Like four years ago, I had the chance to watch the World Cup since I was busy recovering lol. Anyway, I'm on my way to making a complete recovery so I'll be fine soon. If you wish to find out what happened, feel free to message me since I could go on forever about this lol.**

 **Anyway, as much as I have to respond to, let's get on to the readers lol.**

 **Amourshiper35 - I'll try to include more moments like that in the future.**

 **Rajiv A. Rajaram - Great seeing you again. About it being a side chapter, you hit it spot on lol. Although the mega evolution specials are going to be included in here as well, I won't rewrite them. I'll just simply imply them are going on at the same time as other chapters. This way I can continue to use those plots and further expand on them as well. And to anyone reading this, special thanks to this guy for helping me flesh out the plot of this story. Even though there is still a lot of work to be done, Rajiv A. Rajaram had a helping hand in pointing this chapter and story in the right direction.**

 **ultimateCCC - I had no idea. If you're trying to imply that's also your birthday, happy birthday lol. Joking aside, I'm curious as to where you found this, and what else you may have found. But thanks for this bit of information.**

 **kcg998 - Well first of all, thank you so much for the support. I will do my best to continue to make this as enjoyable as possible. And don't worry about the original. I discontinued that one since it became too messy to continue reading. With that said, this one will be written the way it was intended to be, so you're not going to miss out on anything.**

 **Ooobserver - Hey there, nice to see you again. That is indeed correct. But unlike the anime, I want them to meet up much sooner to further develop their bonds.**

 **Principal Oak - Well how about I Raichu another joke lol.**

 **Guest 1 - Well no, they aren't going to be side characters. By main characters, I mean to say that the main story line will revolve around the interactions of Ash, the twins, Alain, and Clemont. This story will be written in as "you are the hero of your own story" type of manner. It's just some characters will have a much great influence to the plot than others. But by no means are Serena and Bonnie side characters if you're wondering that.**

 **Guest 2 - Well I didn't want to spoil the surprise, but what the heck. I was going to write a wedding rehearsal chapter with Ash and Serena somehow being stuck to play the parts of bride and groom. I'll announce that chapter once I have more details fleshed out.**

 **Brock - Relax, your time to shine in this story will come. Just wait and we'll find out if Ash beats you to getting a girlfriend lol.**

 **Guest 3 - Honestly, I just judged them based on the amount of impact they had on Ash. Gary and Paul had a huge impact on Ash while I would have to say Ash had a bigger impact on Alain. Either way, these three I would consider true rivals to Ash.**

 **Guest 4 - Again, I have no plans to discontinue this story. Sure I may have things interrupt my progress but I will continue to write. So unless I say I will no longer write, do not worry about it lol.**

 **Next chapter, The Pokemon Poacher**

 **This will be a Clemont and Bonnie focused chapter, with the appearance of a mystery legendary Pokemon.**

 **As usual, I hope to hear from you all soon. Thanks for all the support and until the next time.**


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